Faculty honored for teaching, research ...

For this year’s recipients of faculty teaching and research awards, the honor has special meaning.

Dr. Marjorie Shavers, the recipient of the Distinguished Scholarship/Research Award, and Dr. Emily Isaacson, the recipient of the Ream-Paradiso Distinguished Teaching Award, shared their reflections about the role that family, community, creativity and curiosity has had in both their professional and personal successes.

Faculty colleagues joined Marjorie, Emily and Dr. David Kimmel, the recipient of this year’s Frost Kalnow Professorship in the Humanities, and Board of Trustees members for the awards presentation in celebration of academic excellence Friday, Feb. 24, as part of the board’s February meetings.

Always one to ask a lot of questions, Marjorie said, “I feel honored to work in a profession where the pursuit of scholarship is a core component of my job.” Research that she has conducted with her graduate counseling students – such as the annual sexual climate survey and the recent research on the state of teaching at Heidelberg – holds a special place in her heart because it is a community effort.

“Community isn’t just about research with students, either,” she said. “It drives every aspect of my work,” Marjorie said. “I truly believe that every success I have had is because of the amazing community that I am part of.”

Emily used her family’s ancestry and path through immigration and education to illustrate what has shaped her life. “I could tell you the story of my teachers and professors; I could tell you the story of my colleagues; I could tell you the story of growing up in the Lutheran church or in the theatre,” Emily said.

“My point is that everyone has a story, in fact, many stories – and we are part of our students’ stories, particularly when we recognize our interconnectedness. Education is about stories because education is about people.”

Congratulations to Marjorie, Emily and Dave!