Susan Rodgers, anthropology professor at the College of the Holy Cross, has been named the 2013 Massachusetts Professor of the Year by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching and the Council for the Advancement and Support of Education (CASE). The award was presented on Nov.14.
"This is a marvelous re-affirmation of the value of the sort of time-intensive teaching and intellectual mentorship that we do at small liberal arts colleges like Holy Cross," Rodgers said in a statement.
Amy Wolfson, Holy Cross associate dean for faculty development and professor of psychology, said that she came to know about Rodger's talent during their trip to Indonesia, a few years ago.
"During our three weeks in Bali, Sumatra, and Yogyakarta, her deep understanding of the local cultures and languages, and her contagious excitement, commitment, and perseverance transformed my teaching, my research, and my interest in global education and international partnerships-just as those same compelling personal qualities have transformed the lives of so many Holy Cross students," Wolfson said.
Rodger academic qualifications include a B.A. in anthropology and religious studies from Brown University, and an M.A. and a Ph.D. in anthropology from the University of Chicago.
She left a tenured position at Ohio University to join Holy Cross in 1989. She was promoted to full-time professor in 1995. Besides teaching responsibilities, Rodger held various other positions on campus, director of the Asian Studies program at the College from 2003-05 and chair of the department of sociology and anthropology between 1997-2000 and 2008-11.
"Working with Professor Rodgers has been a defining part of my experience here at Holy Cross," said Martha Walters, an anthropology and environmental studies double major. "What started in a Montserrat class freshman year has evolved into several invaluable opportunities doing research, broadening my horizons, and gaining a deeper perspective of the world we live in."
Walters also said that her commitment to her research and students is commendable and inspirational. She will always be thankful to the professor for shaping her academic career and aspirations.