Two awards honor Clowes' legacy

Kayla Webley and Julia Faye Whitehead
2004-06-04
The Daily

James Clowes' name will grave two awards four months after his death, one given after his death, one given to him posthumuosly and one in his honor.

Eugene Edgar, the recipient of the new Clowes award, will be joined by 17 others to be recognized at the UW's best staff, faculty and graduate student teachers this year at a Wednesday recognition ceremony.

The awards for faculty are split between those for public service, lifelong learning and teaching.

Clowes passed away Feb. 1 after battling cancer. He has been honored posthumously with the S. Sterling Munro Public Service Teaching Award. A new faculty award has been named after him as well, the James D. Clowes Award for the Advancement of Learning Communities.

"He had this really neat belief that all people, including undergraduates, if given the opportunity, have a lot more knowledge inside of them than they are given credit for," said Edgar, a professor in the College of Education.

Edgar, who is originally from Pennsylvania, is the first recipient of the award. He has been at the UW for 32 years.

"Jim and I worked together and I really liked him, so I'm honored that people would think that I deserve such an award," said Edgar. "I really want to reflect well on Jim, so I hope I'm worthy."

Edgar has promoted Clowes' idea of learning communities within his own department, providing an opportunity for undergraduate students that had been previously unavailable.

"In the College of Education we only have graduate-level programs," said Edgar. "So for the last five or six years I have been trying to develop learning communities for undergraduates who are thinking about becoming teachers and will apply for our master's program."

Edgar started the undergraduate programming with quarterly seminars for anyone interested in education. Since then, after-school tutoring, a small selection of courses, a scholarship program and the Future Educators Club have followed.

"For our society to get better ... need more people who spend time listening t-o each other and trying to work together on a common problem," said Edgar. "I think learning communities within public schools ... are a really important part of that."

Also from the College of Education, Stephen Kerr was honored with the Distinguished Contributions to Lifelong Learning Award. Kerr focuses on technology in education and education in Russia. He holds an adjunct appointment in the program in Russian, East European and Central Asian studies.

Millie Russell will be given this year's Outstanding Public Service Award. Russell is a lecturer in biology and an assistant to the vice president for minority affairs.

"I'm humbled by this single honor," said Russell. "I'm proud of the University for even valuing the public service."

Russell has devoted much of her 30 years at the UW toward bringing minority students into the University, particularly into the health sciences departments.

"I saw myself as a change agent to open the doors for other upcoming scholars," said Russell. "[I wanted to] make sure that people here know that this university is for all of us."

Russell, a Seattle native, has been involved in public service for most of her life. While attending Seattle University, she was very involved in the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People and other civil-rights groups.

"I grew up in that civil-rights period and it was just understood that you were going to be involved in many organizations and you were going to be a representative to make change," said Russell. "You tried to treat people as you wanted to be treated."

Russell has volunteered for numerous organizations including the Washington State Association of Black Professionals in Health Care, the National Association of Medical Minority Educators and the Multicultural Alumni Partnership.

For 2004, there are four Distinguished Deaching Awards, given to faculty members and two Excellence in Teaching Awards given to outstanding graduate student instructors.

One Distinguished Teaching Award recipient is Ann Baker, a senior lecturer in the philosophy department; she has been nominated four times in her 10 years at UW.

She attributes the recognition to her efforts to make large lectures smaller by connecting with her students.

"I have taken efforts to make larger introductory classes work and worked on how to make big classes feel like a small class," said Baker. "I try to make things a little more personal and interactive. I walk up the aisles and through them, sometimes I will go directly in front of students and say, 'What do you think about this?'"

Baker said she appreciates the award because it makes her feel as though students realize the efforts she makes.

"A student once said, 'You seem so approachable, I feel I can ask you questions and even if they are dumb you will help me,'" said Baker. "I think there is a level of safety there. I have confidence in my students that they can learn this stuff; even though it is hard, I am willing to help them along the way."

Stephen Hanson, another Distinguished Teaching Award winner, is an associate professor in political science. He said he appreciates the opportunity he has been given to teach at the UW.

"I love teaching at the UW, it has the best and brightest from the whole Northwest," he said. "Students rise to the top levels in a hurry."

David Allen is another award recipient and a professor in psychosocial and community health. He has been teaching at the UW for 16 years. Allen strives to actively engage the students.

"My courses can be pretty involving; it is hard to be a spectator," said Allen. "I try not to think about teaching as my sole responsibility, it is better if we all take part."

Other Distinguished Teaching Award winners are Elizabeth Cooper, associate professor in dance and Tessa Evans-Campbell, assistant professor in the School of Social Work,

One of the two Excellence in Teaching Award winners is Britt Yamamoto, who a geography graduate student is currently conducting dissertation fieldwork as a Fulbright Fellow in Japan. Though he cannot make it to the recognition ceremony, he said he is honored Secause it completes a step for him in his overall goal.

"Teaching is something I care deeply for. My goal is to be a part of a creative culture of learning where teaching is highly valued and I am encouraged and supported in my efforts to inspire students to more fully understand their potential as a whole," said Yamamoto. "It is a lofty dream to be sure; however, I believe that there are places out there where I can pursue my passion to work with others in this way."

Lance Rhoades, a comparative literature graduate student, is the second recipient of the Excellence in Teaching Award.