October 5, 2009-Mrs. Cynthia Newland, Associate Professor of Dance and Chair of the Dance Department at Belhaven College, has been awarded the Humanities Teacher Award for 2009, which is given by the Mississippi Humanities Council. The award is given annually to one humanities faculty member at each higher education institution in the state.

“Belhaven College is blessed by Cynthia Newland's passion for excellence, and we congratulate her as this year's Humanities award recipient. From her unceasing service to her students and her untiring efforts to advance Belhaven College into an elite group of 30 institutions in the US accredited in all four of the arts, she is well-deserving of this honor,” said Dr. Dan Fredericks, Senior Vice President and Provost.

In response to this award, Cynthia Newland will present “Embodied Imagery: Engaging Body, Mind, Spirit” on Thursday, Oct. 29, 2009 at 6:30 P.M. in the Bitsy Irby Visual Arts and Dance Center, Studio Theater. This presentation is open to the community, and a reception will immediately follow in the rotunda. The Humanities award will be formally presented to Mrs. Newland on February 26, 2010, at the Mississippi Humanities Council Annual Awards Dinner.