Music professor wins SCICU Excellence in Teaching Award
Associate Professor of Music Dr. Keith Timms was one of 21 professors from member colleges honored by South Carolina Independent Colleges and Universities (SCICU) in its 2023 Excellence in Teaching Awards this month.
Each year SCICU recognizes outstanding faculty members from each of its 21 member schools. Each awardee is given a $3,000 professional development grant. This year’s recipients were honored April 18 at the Columbia Metropolitan Convention Center.
“At SCICU, we’re honored to recognize our campuses’ deep commitment to their students, embodied by these exemplary educators,” said SCICU President and CEO Jeff Perez. “Faculty members don’t often have the chance to be honored in the presence of families and friends. We’re always delighted to have that opportunity.”
Timms, who joined the Erskine College faculty in 2015, serves as director of choral activities at Erskine and teaches courses in choral music pedagogy and literature, conducting, and church music methods and materials.
Before joining the Erskine faculty, Timms was a high school choir teacher for 30 years. He serves as a clinician, adjudicator, and consultant for numerous national, regional, and state choral and vocal festivals and musical events. Thanks to his efforts and those of others in the Erskine community, the Erskine campus was the upstate region site for this year’s High School Choral Performance Assessment sponsored by the South Carolina Music Educators Association.
A 1984 graduate of Erskine College, Timms went on to earn a master’s degree at Furman University and a Ph.D. at the Shenandoah Conservatory of Music. He is married to Amy Rankin Timms ’85 and they are the parents of Erskine graduates Hannah Timms ’14 and Harrison Timms ’17.
Shown in photo at top are Dr. Keith Timms and Lucy Grey McIver, Chair – SCICU Board of Trustees. Photo courtesy of SCICU.