Page 2 The Lion's Eye April 24, Woman of the Year recognized By BRENT FOOTE Staff Writer Teaching is an uphill battle; dozens of eyes focused, waiting, wanting, and demanding the instructor to perform. Moving beyond stereotypes of gender, race and attitudes is a constant challenge. It's a challenge that Carol Kessler, Professor of English, American. studies and Women's studies welcomes. So, how would it feel to be awarded PSU Delco's Outstanding Woman of the Year? Kessler. Si A teacher in the Penn State sys- tem for 22 years, Kessler's interest in the classroom is, "to encourage social and atti- tudinal change." "Change Agent" urging development of everyone's potential, regardless of stereo- types. tudes beneficial to, not only themselves, but the community as a whole. Like a rip- ple effect, where one person effects anoth- "It's wonderful," according to Dr. She sees herself as a ° "I want to create in students atti- er and so on," said Kessler. Kessler held a Fulbright Senior Scholar's Award and has received funding from the National Endowment for the Humanities, the American Philosophical Society, and the Ford Foundation. She is the author of six books and numerous arti- cles. Sadly, she will retire this summer making this semester her last at PSU. "Most importantly for us, for 22 .years Carol has been sharing her learning > and knowledge with our students and her beers in our classrooms and we will great- ly miss her when she retires," said Dr. George Franz, Director of Academic Affairs. "For this and many other rea- sons, we take this opportunity to acknowl- edge Carol's contributions to the campus and to wish her well as she prepares for a new phase in her life." When asked which author, past or present, she would most like to meet in person, Kessler replied, "Toni Morrison (who writes of a utopian view on how reading can change peoples perspectives) I find her amazing. [Morrison] is an unend- ing source of inspiration for understanding the communities we're a part of." Kessler left these parting words to the students of PSU Delco, "Take on Anteia Consorto Carol Kessler i is PSU Delco’s woman of the year. She will retire this summer after teaching at Delco for 22 years. - challenges, see what needs to be done and start doing it. We don't finish a project, we merely lay the foundation for others who follow to build upon." Commonwealth awards academic integration By KATHY SMITH Staff writer : - First Winner of the Commonwealth College Excellence in Academic Integration Award is.. Phyllis Cole, associate professor of English and woman's studies at Penn State Delaware County was named the first winner of the Commonwealth College Excellence in Academic Integration Award. The award was announced at the Commonwealth College faculty dinner in University Park on Friday night, March 16, and recognized her work in integrating her teaching, research, and service in the area of American Studies. "Faculty members have three parts to their job's. We teach of course, but we are also asked to publish and do research as well and to serve the university and com- munity in a variety of ways," said Dr. Cole. The "integration" in question, is among the three areas, in other words to make connections between research and the teaching, and service and teaching. "The book I published in 1998, broke new ground by recovering the life and writing of a woman, Mary Moody Emerson, both for their own sake and as an influence on her famous nephew, Ralph Waldo Emerson. ‘Doing that work have given me all kinds of material for teaching woman's studies, American Literature and Family History," said Cole. The Modem Language Association has recog- nized Dr. Cole's amazing research when she was named a Anteia Consorto Phyllis Cole is the first recipient of the Commonwealth College Excellence in Academic Integration Award. finalist for the James Russell Lowell prize in 1999. "Most important is that she has been able to inte- grate her research and teaching with her service to the great benefit of her students, the campus, the college, the University and the community," said George Franz, direc- tor of academic affairs at Penn State Delaware County. Dr. Cole believes that by teaching American Studies, has in turn given her projects to do in and out of class. "Dr. Cole is sympathetic to her students and she even gave me an extension on my final American Studies exam because I had a death in the family," said Don Ott, a sophomore at Penn State Delco. "Local history, has become crucial," said Cole. "What started out as a casual walking tour of 5000 years at the Delaware County Campus, has turned - into sponsorship of one student’s research on Thomas Pratt (the 19th century farmer and abolitionist who lived here) and the investigation of the spring house, which a wonderful group of SpeechCom students have cleaned for us." "The wonderful thing is that students from the area know first hand about some parts of these stories," Cole said, "I love the kind of conversation that is possible between students and faculty on this campus about the cultural and geographical turf that we share." "You can tell she loves what she does and she has stories of visiting so many places," said Don Ott. "Coordinating the American Studies program and chairing the campus scholarship committee gives me opportunities to support student plans and projects in another way," said Cole. Dr. Cole earned her B.A. summa cum laude in English from Oberlin College and her M.A. and Ph.D in English from Harvard University. She resides in Swarthmore and has been with the campus since 1989. Jeff Meyers’ EYE THEATER Remember... ho matter how loud you yell, the people you see inside the TV can't hear you. Jeff Neyers © 2000, Distributed by Toonsyndicats USemmel Drink? Taken advantage of another sexually due to alcohol consumption. HAVE YOU? First Bhink! 94.3% of Penn State Delco students NEVER
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