Janet Snyder of West Virginia University and Phil McClung of West Virginia University at Parkersburg have both been recognized by the Faculty Merit Foundation of West Virginia, Inc. through its 2006 Professor of the Year award program.

Snyder, an associate professor of art in WVU s College of Creative Arts, qualified as a semifinalist, and McClung, a professor of psychology at WVU Parkersburg, is a finalist for the award.

The finalists will be honored at a reception at the Governors Mansion at 6 p.m. Tuesday, March 6. The reception will be followed by a banquet at the Cultural Center at 7 p.m. in Charleston, where the Professor of the Year will be officially announced. The winner will be presented a handmade glass trophy and a $10,000 award sponsored by United Bank. The second and third finalists will receive awards of $1,000 and $500, along with plaques.

The other finalists are Barbara Guyer, professor of special education, Marshall University and Sylvia Shurbutt, professor of English, Shepherd University. Lucie Refsland, professor of mathematics, New River Community&Technical College, was also a semifinalist.

The Faculty Merit Foundation was created in 1984 to recognize and reward outstanding innovation and creativity among the faculties of West Virginias public and private institutions of higher education.