NEWS OF THE COLLEGE
ture. Hunter Hannum arrived on campus in 1964, having received his PhD from Harvard in 1963. He was a dynamic instructor whom Stephanie Mills, ’69, credits as teaching one of the best courses she took at Mills. Hannum ultimately left Mills and college teaching to focus on translation, which he has pursued successfully ever since. Dr. Monica Clyde began teaching at Mills in 1967, and had a long tenure through the early 1980s. The department continued to offer a comprehensive major under her leadership. Dr.
Elisabeth Siekhaus was hired in 1978; she led a rigorous German program through the 1980s and ’90s. In 1984 she hired Dr. Richard Gray, who inspired students with his lively lectures and committed teaching style. He left Mills in 1990. Since then, Dr. Siekhaus has operated the department on a skeleton budget, with the assistance of Dr. Rosemary Delia, making do without two tenuretrack professorships (after Gray left, there was a hiring freeze) but nevertheless inspiring several generations of students to study in
Germany on Fulbrights, take up careers in Germanrelated fields, and pursue advanced degrees in German literature at Yale, Princeton, and Berkeley, among other institutions. Professor Siekhaus is known for her talent in the classroom as well as her devoted tutelage of individual students. The German Language House was a thriving institution under her leadership, and German-language students were stimulated by numerous lectures and cultural programs. The College is changing:
while German-related courses will still be offered, there will be no German language courses. We must make due notice of the implications these changes carry, but at the same time, take this opportunity to honor a piece of College history. Mary Akatiff Cudahy, ’93, majored in German at Mills, and then continued her studies in German at U.C. Berkeley, where she received her PhD in the spring of 2003. She is currently seeking employment as an assistant professor of German.
Maggi Payne Wins Sarlo Faculty Award for Great Teaching by Adam Blum, Director of Major Gifts
teachers recognized for good teaching,” says George Sarlo, who with his wife, Kim, established Sarlo Faculty Awards at seven Bay Area colleges and universities. Each award winner receives a $5,000 cash grant that can be used for any purpose. Maggi Payne used some of her award to compensate dancers participating in one of her recent performance compositions. Kim Sarlo, who received a master’s degree in English at Mills, teaches English to immigrants in San Francisco. Kim always knew she wanted to be a teacher. It was her passion for teaching that led the Sarlo Foundation to investigate how best to support and acknowledge teaching. One of their answers was
SALLY RANDEL
Designed to recognize excellence in teaching, the Sarlo Faculty Award was established in 1996 by George and Kim Sarlo, MA ’97. This fall, Associate Professor of Music Maggi Payne became the sixth member of the Mills faculty to receive the award. Provost and Dean of the Faculty Mary-Ann Milford presented the award to her at Convocation in front of students, parents, staff, faculty, and hundreds of reunioning alumnae. “What makes Mills great is our faculty, says Provost Milford. “At Mills, teaching comes first. The Sarlos are helping us to reward and support the work of outstanding teachers.” “Teachers don’t get paid enough, and I seldom see
The Sarlo Award recognizes excellent teaching at Mills. Left to right: Associate Professor of Music Chris Brown, Associate Professor of Music Maggi Payne, Associate Professor of English Cynthia Scheinberg, Kim Sarlo, MA ’97, George Sarlo, Professor of Education Anna Richert, Professor of Economics Roger Sparks. Not pictured: Professor of Education Linda Kroll.
the Sarlo Faculty Award. At Mills, Sarlo Award recipients are nominated by the deans of the academic divisions, who make their recommendations to the provost and president based on teaching evaluations from students,
letters of recommendation from faculty members at Mills and other institutions, and live observations of classes. The hallmark of Mills is great teaching. The Sarlo Faculty Award helps to nurture and support that tradition.
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