Faculty mentors honored for preparing new teachers

The work of four faculty members, who have made exceptional efforts to help their graduate students prepare for academic careers, was honored Tuesday, June 5, at a reception for this year’s Future Faculty Mentorship Award winners.

Receiving the honor were Judith Farquhar, Professor in Anthropology and the College, Howard Nusbaum, Professor and Chairman in Psychology and the College, Saskia Sassen, the Ralph Lewis Professor in Sociology and the College, and Martha Ward, Chair and Associate Professor in Art History, Visual Arts and the College.

The four were recognized based on recommendations from their students, said Elizabeth O’Connor Chandler, Director of the Center for Teaching & Learning.

“These faculty members made contributions above and beyond the requirements of classroom teaching and advising on dissertations,” Chandler said.

Farquhar, Nusbaum, Sassen and Ward were honored for being actively engaged in teaching graduate students a broad range of skills required to be effective members of college and university communities. They also were lauded for giving special attention to students’ academic goals by vetting grant applications, dissertation proposals and syllabi for courses, as well as regularly challenging the students—including those students outside of their fields of specialization—to aspire to higher goals in their academic work.

Faculty members were recognized for their active interest in training students in their philosophy of teaching and for their responsiveness to students. They assisted students’ search for teaching assignments both on and off campus and guided them in applying for grants.

They also provided insights on the professional expectations of academic work in their disciplines, including issues of ethics, help with career talks and suggestions on preparing their teaching portfolios, Chandler said.

Twelve teaching consultants in the Center for Teaching and Learning, who provide support to students to improve their classroom teaching, initiated and administered the awards.

The group of consultants solicited testimonials from graduate students across departments and divisions throughout the Winter and Spring quarters.