Faculty Receive Awards

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May 28, 1998

ST. JOSEPH, Minn.- The College of Saint Benedict and Saint John's University recently presented Teacher of Distinction Awards to Cynthia Curran, assistant professor of history, and Norman Ford, professor of biology, for their work during the 1997-98 academic year. The awards publicly celebrate the importance of excellence in teaching at CSB and SJU.

Curran was presented with the Sister Mary Grell Teacher of Distinction Award. Grell taught biology for 30 years beginning in 1933 and was CSB president from 1963-68. She later served as superior of the dependent priory of Saint Anselm's College in Manchester, N.H. before her death in 1981.

"Cynthia Curran teaches students that the study of others informs the study of self, that inquiry into the past informs the critical reading of the present age and the direction of the future," said CSB President Mary E. Lyons in making her presentation to Curran. "She invites students to see that objects in the mirror of history are closer than they appear."

Ford received the Robert L. Spaeth Teacher of Distinction Award. The award is named in honor of Spaeth, who died in 1994. He served as dean of the college at SJU for nine years in addition to offering lengthy terms of service as a professor of liberal studies and director of Freshman Symposium.

"His courses are among the most rigorous, most challenging in the catalog - and students flock to them," said Br. Dietrich Reinhart, SJU president, in his comments on Ford. "Because of his finely crafted presentations and emphasis on critical thought, many students consider Dr. Norm Ford to be the finest professor of their undergraduate careers."

CSB and SJU also presented Advising Awards to faculty for outstanding work in advising students in each of the colleges' four divisions during the 1997-98 academic year: Cynthia Malone, associate professor of English, and Chris Freeman, assistant professor of English, humanities division; Dee Lamb, professor of education, and Phil Kronebusch, assistant professor of political science, social sciences division; Joan Wilcox, associate professor of nursing, and Kate Graham, assistant professor of chemistry, natural sciences division; and Carolyn Finley, associate professor of music, and Kim Kasling, professor of music, fine arts division.

Faculty receiving promotion to the rank of professor were Margaret Hughes, physical education; Tim Robinson, philosophy; Tom Sibley, mathematics; Kathy Twohy, nursing; Diane Veale Jones, nutrition; and Kay Wolsborn, political science.

Faculty member receiving promotion to the rank of associate professor was Mara Faulkner OSB, English.

Faculty receiving tenure and promotion to the rank of associate professor were Jeff Anderson, peace studies; Jennifer Galovich, mathematics; Camilla Krone, French; Phil Kronebusch, political science; Linda Lierheimer, history; and Vincent Smiles, theology.

CSB President Mary E. Lyons appointed professors Angeline Dufner, English, and Emmanuel Renner OSB, history, to the rank of professor emerita; and Gordon Goetemann, art, to professor emeritus.

Lyons also appointed Kristin Malloy OSB, associate professor of English; Sally Melton, instructor of English; and Sheila Rausch OSB, professor of English; to the rank of professor alumna.

SJU President Br. Dietrich Reinhart OSB appointed professors Norman Ford, biology, and Len Valley, physics, to the rank of professor emeritus.

Other CSB/SJU faculty members retiring included Lee Kohs, assistant professor of education, and Shaun O'Meara OSB, associate professor of theology.