PhoTos: TAmmy WoodArd
PhoTos: TAmmy WoodArd
Excellence rewarded: three faculty members receive Presidential Awards
laura Blake, d.P.s.
heidi gearhart, Ph.d. Thayaparan Paramanathan, Ph.d.
Three new faculty appointed
steven Theroux, Ph.d.
Arlene guerrero-Watanabe, Ph.d. John mcclymer, Ph.d.
A trio of highly-accomplished faculty members received Presidential Awards for Excellence at the Fall Convocation in September. Administrators, faculty and staff nominated each of the recipients. Steven Theroux, Ph.D., professor of biology and former chair of the Department of Natural Sciences, received the Presidential Award for Excellence in Service. Theroux has tirelessly worked to establish 14 articulation agreements “that not only seek to advance the studies of Assumption students but also advance the reputation of the College by connecting us with a range of graduate schools and professional programs across the country,” said President Francesco Cesareo (see feature article on p. 22). A faculty member since 1992, Theroux has also served students as health professional advisor and director of the post baccalaureate program. A member of the College’s Evaluation Committee for several years, Theroux was also a part of the NEASC reaccreditation team. This year’s recipient of the Michael O’Shea Presidential Award for Excellence in Teaching is Arlene Guerrero-Watanabe, Ph.D., associate professor of Spanish and chair of the Department of Modern and Classical Languages and Cultures. Holding high expectations for her students, and constantly encouraging them to strive and achieve their potential has earned Guerrero Watanabe great respect and admiration
from her students and peers. Cesareo said, “A gifted teacher, she has a knack for making classes interesting and keeping students involved in a substantive way.” Guerrero-Watanabe utilizes techniques that appeal to her students and she has creatively integrated film, music, Powerpoint and theatre productions into her courses. She has also helped students prepare for MTEL exams, created independent studies and helped secure internships and job placements. John McClymer, Ph.D., professor of history, received the Presidential Award for Excellence in Scholarship. A faculty member since 1970, McClymer has amassed a distinguished collection of writing credits, authoring nine books, nearly 50 articles and chapters, and has earned numerous fellowships, grants and awards. Quick to share his historical knowledge with others, he has helped other teachers and their students appreciate the wonders of the historical journey. His contributions beyond the field of history and into pedagogy are well recognized, as McClymer has distinguished himself as a pioneer in the use of “new media” for contemporary historians. Instituted by President Cesareo, recommended by peers and selected by a committee, awards for excellence in teaching, scholarship, service and contribution to the mission have been presented annually to deserving members of the Assumption faculty, staff and administration since 2009.
Three faculty members were appointed this fall: Laura Blake, Heidi Gearhart and Thayaparan Paramanathan. Laura Blake, D.P.S. was appointed an assistant professor of business studies. She taught in the Department of Business Administration at Mitchell College from 2002 to 2013, where she served for three years as department chair. She also lectured part-time at Assumption during the 2010–11 academic year. Dr. Blake served on numerous college committees at Mitchell, and has been published and made presentations in her field. She earned a M.S. from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and a B.B.A. and D.P.S. from Pace University. Heidi Gearhart, Ph.D. is an assistant professor of art history. She has previously taught at the University of Michigan, the Art Institute of Boston, Massachusetts College of Art and, most recently, the College of the Holy Cross. The Stefan Engelhorn Curatorial Fellow in the BuschReisinger Museum of Harvard Art Museums, Dr. Gearhart has made numerous scholarly presentations in her field, has had articles published in professional journals and is working on a book titled, Crafting an Ideal: Theory and Practices in Medieval Art. She holds a B.A. from Pomona College, an M.A. from Tufts University and a Ph.D. in history of art from the University of Michigan. Thayaparan Paramanathan, Ph.D., visiting assistant professor of physics, joined Assumption from Brandeis University, where he had served as a postdoctoral fellow since 2010. In addition to Brandeis, he has taught at Northeastern University in Boston, and both St. John’s College and the University of Jaffna in Sri Lanka. He has made award-winning public presentations of his research and has had several articles published in professional journals. He earned a B.Sc. from the University of Jaffna, and a M.S. and Ph.D. in physics from Northeastern.
Assumption College Magazine
Winter 2014
7