Sioux City, Iowa—Morningside University is pleased to announce that its 2025 Sharon Walker Faculty Excellence Awards were presented to Dr. Annie Kinwa-Muzinga, Professor and Department Head for Applied Agriculture & Food Studies, and Dr. Jessica C. Pleuss, Professor of Psychology.

Dr. Chris Spicer, Provost and Vice President for Academic and Student Affairs, commends Morningside’s outstanding faculty, highlighting their vital role as mentors and sources of inspiration for students. “Their impact reaches far beyond the classroom, enriching both the educational journey and the campus community as a whole. Their knowledge, enthusiasm, and commitment are the foundation of Morningside students’ success, and the Walker Awards provide a chance to celebrate their remarkable contributions.”

Dr. Annie Kinwa-Muzinga has been a Professor of Agribusiness at Morningside University since 2018 and serves as the Department Head for Applied Agriculture & Food Studies. She holds a B.S. in Economics from the University of Kinshasa, an MBA in Finance, and a Ph.D. in Agricultural Economics with a focus on Food and Agribusiness Management and Strategic Marketing from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Dr. Kinwa-Muzinga has received numerous teaching and advising awards, including the AASCARR Distinguished Educator Award, the North American Colleges and Teachers of Agriculture (NACTA) 2023 Educator Award, and the Teaching Award of Merit in 2020. She has mentored countless students, advised the Pioneer National Agri-Marketing Association (NAMA) for 14 years, and now co-advises the Morningside NAMA chapter. Her research spans agriculture, teaching, and service learning, with her most notable publication being a gender assessment of the agricultural sector in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Beyond academia, Dr. Kinwa-Muzinga actively promotes diversity as Vice President of the Siouxland African Association. 

Dr. Jessica C. Pleuss earned her Doctorate and Master’s degrees in child psychology from the University of Minnesota’s Institute of Child Development, and her Bachelor of Science degree in psychology and Chinese language from Valparaiso University. She coordinates the Developmental Psychology major and Psychology Honors program, mainly teaching courses related to human development. In addition to ongoing research related to teaching and learning, she runs the Play & Parenting Lab, which involves students in conducting research related to play, its benefits for child development, and parents’ roles in enabling play opportunities for their children. Beyond academia, Dr. Pleuss is an active member of the Siouxland community who brings her expertise to bear alongside her experience as a parent and foster parent to write and illustrate children’s books related to foster care. 

The Sharon Walker Faculty Excellence Awards were established by Jim and Sharon Walker ’70 in 2003. Criteria for selection include teaching excellence, effective advising, scholarship, and service to Morningside University. The awards are based upon the accomplishments and activities of a faculty member during the previous academic year, using both submitted materials and in-person evaluations conducted by a panel of two outside evaluators.