05-27-2009
College of Arts and Letters: Philanthropy at work
MSU faculty are busy teaching classes, counseling students, conducting research, publishing papers, presenting at conferences and serving on numerous academic committees. At the same time, they work hard to effect change for the better. Some go well beyond the call of duty to make a significant difference in the life of their department, college and university. The management team in the College of Arts and Letters has taken steps to highlight those special contributions.
Dean Karin Wurst, and Associate Deans Marilyn Frye, Doug Noverr, David Prestel and Janet Swenson recently established the College of Arts and Letters Faculty Leadership Award. The award is designed to reward faculty who go beyond the routine tasks, are generous in sharing insights, and provide the hard work and mentorship that create excellence and vision in programs and departments.
The award will recognize faculty who take ownership of curricular decisions, welcome invitations for collaboration and joint deliberation, strive for creating consensus around issues and give voice to a sense of a shared future.
Although the university provides up to five years to fully fund an endowment, Dean Wurst wanted the endowment awarded as quickly as possible. “I wanted to be able to make awards to our outstanding faculty this year to show how much the leadership team appreciates those faculty members who go the extra mile,” she said.
Dean Wurst herself made a Beaumont Tower Society commitment to provide the majority of the funding for the award, and the associate deans each joined in to reach the $30,000 necessary for full funding of the endowment.
Final selection of the faculty member to receive the award will be determined by the Provost and the award will provide the flexibility to offer a cash gift, a memento or other visible means of recognition or to assist in paying for an event to honor the recipient.
“I am proud of our faculty and want to recognize them for their hard work,” said Dean Wurst. “And I am especially proud of the associate deans for joining me in this.”
For more information about adding to this endowment, or making a gift to the College of Arts and Letters, contact Director of Development Bridget Paff at (517) 353-4725.
