Temple College Names History Professor Brice Olivier as 2024-2025 Barnhart Outstanding Teacher of the Year

Brice Olivier, Professor of History, has been named Temple College’s 2024-25 Claudia and W.T. Barnhart Outstanding Teacher of the Year.

Olivier began teaching at Temple College in 2013. During her 11 years at the College, she has taught U.S. and world history courses at the College’s Taylor and Hutto campuses.

Prior to her work with Temple College, Olivier served as a teacher at Legacy Early College High School in Taylor, an adjunct professor at College of the Mainland in Texas City, and in a variety of positions at Santa Fe ISD in Santa Fe, Texas.

“Professor Olivier is a dedicated teacher. She works hard for her students and is always available for them to contact her with any issues that they may have,” wrote English Professor Christopher Cregar in his nomination letter for the award. “In addition, she works tirelessly to expand her pedagogical knowledge and works with her colleagues to share ideas and information. She is always ready to assist her colleagues with questions or to share what she has learned in her classroom.”

The Barnhart Award includes a $2,000 stipend and the honoree becomes Temple College’s nominee for the Minnie Stevens Piper Professor Award, which recognizes outstanding educators across the state. Olivier will also be honored during the Temple College commencement ceremony in May.

Olivier said she was honored to be considered for the award and her approach to teaching.

“Education should equip students with the knowledge and skills to thrive personally and contribute meaningfully to their communities,” she said. “Guided by this principle, I strive to create a history classroom that not only imparts historical knowledge but also fosters critical thinking, collaboration and adaptability.”

Olivier said she works continuously to refine and update her courses to ensure their relevance to today’s world. She said she uses a “flipped classroom” model to empower students to explore material independently before engaging in rich class discussions.

“Outside of class, students explore material through a variety of approaches that incorporate modern technology as well as traditional and historical sources,” she said. “In class, students are encouraged to deepen their understanding by sharing their ideas and listening to the ideas of others through small-group discussion and presentations.

“This combined approach not only deepens students' understanding of the material but also fosters essential life skills, such as self-directed learning, summarization, connection building and effective communication. By developing these essential skills, my goal is for students to become well-prepared to succeed in an ever-changing world.”

Olivier has served on numerous campus committees and has contributed to a number of campus-wide, division and departmental initiatives. She has served as a mentor to high school dual-credit students in the Legacy Early College program in Taylor and the Texas Biosciences Institute in Hutto, as well as traditional and adult learners.

“It has been a privilege to work with the students, my colleagues and the community at Temple College, and I am proud of the contributions I have made over the past eleven years,” Olivier said. “My priorities as a teacher have been to help students find success and to support my colleagues.”

Olivier earned her Bachelor of Arts in International Studies from Southwestern University. She earned her Master of Arts in History from Texas State University-San Marcos and is All but Dissertation (ABD) from the University of Houston.

About Temple College
Temple College is “Your Community’s College,” a dynamic and growing community college that equips thousands of Central Texas students with the knowledge and skills for 21st-century success. Temple College, which has campuses in Temple, Hutto, Taylor and Rockdale, offers more than 80 degree and certificate programs to students who seek to earn credits for transfer, graduate with an associate degree or complete a certificate for fast entry into the workforce.

Founded in 1926, Temple College has enjoyed a reputation for academic excellence for 98 years. It is nationally recognized for its exceptional programs, from visual and performing arts to competitive athletics. The College has become one of the state’s premiere institutions for healthcare providers’ education and training, advanced manufacturing, and workforce development programs. The faculty and staff are committed to providing exceptional quality instruction.