Charles Harrington/University Photography
By Jill Goetz
At the College of Arts and Sciences Dean's Award Convocation on April 12, Associate Dean Lynne Abel read testimonials from students who had nominated favorite professors and teaching assistants for the college's most prestigious teaching awards.
"He was the best T.A. I ever had," wrote one student in a letter nominating Jeffrey Mitchell of the mathematics department for a John M. and Emily B. Clark Distinguished Teaching Award. His classmates apparently shared his enthusiasm, for he also wrote that "waiting in line during office hours was like waiting in line for a popular movie."
Such esteem and motivational ability were recognized at the annual awards ceremony, led by Acting Dean Philip E. Lewis in Kennedy Hall Auditorium. The audience of about 250 people included members of the Arts and Sciences Advisory Council and honorees and well-wishers from departments across the college.
The awards and their recipients are:
·Robert and Helen Appel Fellowships for Humanists and Social Scientists, providing a full semester of paid leave: Professors Abigail Cohn and Molly Diesin, both of the linguistics department.
·Robert A. and Donna B. Paul Awards for Excellence in Advising: Michael Morley, professor of mathematics.
·Stephen and Margery Russell Distinguished Teaching Awards: teaching assistant John L. Bower, neurobiology and behavior; Ross Brann, professor of Near Eastern studies and Religious Studies Program acting chair; and Brian Smith, professor of computer science.
·John M. and Emily B. Clark Distinguished Teaching Awards: lecturers Kora Bättig, linguistics, and Shalom Shoer, Near Eastern studies, and teaching assistants Jeffrey Mitchell, mathematics; Marco Ameduri, physics; Denise Meyer, linguistics; Anthony Ndungu, government; David Salinas, physics; Stephen J. Schvaneveldt, chemistry; Craig Triplett, English; Heather White, English; and Juliet Williams, government.
Five undergraduate seniors were honored with the highest grade point averages in their class: degree marshals Phillip L. Geissler and Mark D. Pilloff and banner bearers Richard W. O'Shaughnessy, James S. Toung and Serena Tsan-Lai Wong. Dean Lewis also praised the 1,318 students in the college who made the Dean's List for the spring and fall '95 semesters.