Rosemary Love, a biomedical science teacher at Warsaw Community High School, has been named the 2025 Battey National Educator of the Year by the Honor Scholar Program at DePauw University.
Since 2007, this award has annually recognized an outstanding secondary teacher who has inspired a current DePauw honor scholar and nourished their intellectual curiosity, according to a news release from DePauw.
Throughout her 25-year career as an educator, Love has enjoyed building relationships with her students and holding them to high academic expectations. One of those students was Jacob Kissling, ’25, whose nomination letter expressed gratitude for Love’s demanding yet compassionate approach within the classroom.
“As I work to balance multiple thesis projects, extracurriculars and being a student-athlete, I use the skills I gained in her class everyday,” wrote Kissling. “I would often gravitate to Mrs. Love in an attempt to find easier answers, but she remained uncompromising, always either telling me I was smart enough to figure it out on my own, or pressing me to get a better understanding of the concept. Even though it was frustrating to get these responses, when I came to college, I quickly realized that the work I had done then was now paying dividends, as critical analysis was a crucial part of my success in college courses.”
Over the last 15 years, Love has facilitated a project-based program designed to expose her students to biomedical careers. She notes that one of her most cherished professional highlights has been hearing from former students who have excelled in college or their careers because of the program she helped bring to life.
“Helping my students succeed when they did not think that they had it in them is very gratifying,” said Love. “I love using project-based learning in my classroom where I am not the holder of the knowledge, but rather the facilitator in the room to help them find their own understanding.”
In addition to the Battey Award, Love has received numerous accolades throughout her career, including the WCHS Golden Apple Award (2023, 2024), the Indiana Academic All-Stars Certificate of Merit (2017), the Dekko Award for Teaching Excellence (2003), WCHS Top Ten Teachers (2009-10, 2011-12, 2014-15) and the Warsaw Community Foundation Honor an Educator Award (2012, 2014, 2015, 2019, 2023, 2024).
“Mrs. Love has repeatedly demonstrated the value she brings to our Warsaw Community High School students and staff,” said Principal Troy W. Akers. “She humbly exhibits the highest character, drive, and determination.”
The Battey Award is the result of the generosity of Joan Westman Battey ’54 and her husband Charles (Chuck). It was created to honor Chuck’s mother, a dedicated high school teacher who impacted the lives of countless students during her 30-year career as an educator. It also honors the excellence of DePauw's Honor Scholar Program.
While this benefits one outstanding teacher, selected among other worthy nominees, the spirit of the award honors all educators whose teaching and mentorship inspires young men and women to reach for the heights in their pursuit of education, the release states.
The award was formally presented at a recognition dinner at DePauw on Thursday, accompanied by cash prizes for both Love and her school.