Herbert Berg, director of international studies and professor of philosophy and religion at UNC Wilmington, will receive the Governor’s Award for Excellence on Nov. 19 at the Museum of History in Raleigh.

Berg is the first UNCW employee since 1997 to be selected for the award, which is the highest honor state employees may achieve.

After directing Graduate Liberal Studies for five years, Berg helped create and then direct the International Studies program at UNCW in 2011. He was the only professor teaching the major during its first semester. The program has since grown to include two lecturers, three part-time faculty, and 120 majors.

“I cannot imagine anyone else who deserves the Governor’s Award more than Dr. Berg does,” said UNCW graduate Lydia Shippen.

Berg has won numerous teaching awards during his career. He is also co-principal of the Team for Interdisciplinary Global Research, based on a grant from the Defense Intelligence Agency. He ran two geostrategic seminars for TIGR, one on Turkey and one on Islamic groups in the Middle East, for members of the intelligence community, such as FBI and State Department personnel, in Washington.

“It is very easy to see that he has a passion for international studies, languages, religion, and especially a passion for his students’ learning,” Shippen said.

Shippen said Berg wrote between five and ten letters of recommendation for her alone and was always available for questions or extra instruction. He has also taught unpaid courses at student’s requests.

UNCW senior Olivia Causby said she didn’t realize Berg wasn’t getting paid to teach her Arabic until halfway through the semester because there was no difference in expectations or feedback.

“I’ve always appreciated some of my most difficult courses as the ones I take the most from,” Causby said. “Arabic was definitely one of those for me, and I have him to thank for that.”

Berg said he doesn’t consider helping students going above and beyond.

“That’s my job. I’m here for students. I would say my job is as much outside the classroom as inside the classroom,” he said. “Sometimes the needs of the students outweigh the need for money.”

Berg said he thought a lot of people that do graduate work see teaching as a way to pay for their love of research, but for him, being in the classroom feels natural.

“I would say I enjoy teaching more than the research now, it helps if you actually go to work and enjoy what you do. The days go quickly,” said Berg. “If I had the choice to be a student or a professor I’d be a student again. There’s so many things I still want to learn.”