Inspirational, but not necessarily a nerd

Cheney High School alumna Moira Gresham doesn't view herself as a nerd. But when told she was named a top college instructor by the organization NerdScholar, she took it with a grain of salt.

"It's not really a part of my identity," the Whitman College professor said. "I'll take it as a compliment."

Which is exactly what the award is about. Gresham was named one of NerdScholar's "40 Under 40: Professors Who Inspire."

According to a news release, the inaugural award is to recognize professors who "captivate and engage students in the classroom, desire to interact with students outside the class...