2022 Quantrell winners

Five faculty members have been recognized with the Llewellyn John and Harriet Manchester Quantrell Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching, which is based on letters of nomination from students. This year’s recipients are David Kovar, professor of molecular genetics and cell biology; Victor Lima, AM’96, PhD’01, senior instructional professor of economics; Julie Orlemanski, associate professor of English; Johanna Ransmeier, associate professor of history; and David Schmitz, associate professor of physics. Established in 1938, the Quantrell is believed to be the nation’s oldest prize for undergraduate teaching.

Taking the Next Step moves on

In 1998 Dean John W. Boyer, AM’69, PhD’75, invited alumni back to campus to give career advice to students. Taking the Next Step became an annual event, helping to shape the careers of countless Maroons. (See “Your Start-Up Will Probably Fail.”)

Starting in 2022–23, Taking the Next Step will take the form of “bookend events, which will support students at two critical points: fall of first year and spring of fourth year,” says Meredith Daw, associate vice president of enrollment and student advancement. The first-year event will familiarize students with Career Advancement and teach them how to structure their career exploration and eventual job search. At the fourth-year event, scheduled during Alumni Weekend, alumni will welcome fourth-years into the community and introduce them to the many ways to stay involved after graduation, such as reunion committees, regional alumni clubs, and affinity groups.

Optional three-week September term

This fall an optional intensive September term will be offered for second-, third-, and fourth-years. Students take just one course, allowing them to fulfill major or general education requirements—after their summer employment or internship has concluded, but before Autumn Quarter starts. Course offerings for 2022 include Exoplanets, Writing for TV, Beginning Elementary French III, Computing for the Social Sciences, and more.

New majors and minor

In 2022–23 the College will offer two new majors: human rights and cognitive science. One new minor, democracy studies, has also been added.