When the NBC affiliate in Albany, Ga., needed someone to explain how ‘booty’ and ‘hottie’ became words, they turned to Ulf the Verbavore, also known as Darton College associate professor of English Ulf Kirchdorfer ’92 PhD. Kirchdorfer, with TV camera in tow, scoured campus asking if students “wanted a noogie” or knew “a gearhead.” The noteworthy lesson, the good-natured professor said, is that the English language is always evolving.

“It may be because of advertising and technology that these words are popping up almost overnight,” said Kirchdorfer, whose knowledge and classroom style have earned him national recognition by The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching and the Council for Advancement and Support of Education. From more than 400 candidates, one from each state was selected 2001 U.S. Professors of the Year. Kirchdorfer was Georgia’s winner.