Faculty Recognition: Celebrating a Community of Scholars
On May 14, Mercy College honored its full-time and part-time faculty members at the annual Faculty Recognition Ceremony. Held in the Rotunda on the Dobbs Ferry Campus, the event was marked by collegiality and congratulations.
The annual event celebrates faculty who have been promoted or achieved tenure during the previous year. It also honors excellence in teaching, recognizes those who have retired and, in some years, memorializes those who have passed away. The ceremony was attended by more than 150 members of the Mercy faculty and administration, along with many proud family members.
“This event stands as proof of the exceptional talent and dedication of Mercy’s faculty,” said Nancy N. Heilbronner, interim associate provost for faculty affairs. “It takes tremendous effort to earn a promotion or tenure, with many reviews and milestones that must be hit. It’s truly an honor that recognizes scholarship and excellence. It’s a measure of respect.”
The dean of each school presented the awards for tenure, promotion and retirement; other awards were presented by heads of faculty committees. There were awards for teaching excellence, innovation, outstanding research, and online teacher of the year, among others. “It’s a mark of prestige to be designated for one of these awards,” says Heilbronner. An Honorary Master of Pedagogy was also awarded to members of the faculty and administration who have served Mercy College for 20 years or more.
The event also included a poster presentation session that featured more than 30 posters from all five schools. The posters displayed faculty members’ research, creative scholarship and service, as well as projects focused on improving teaching and learning.
The assembly grew quiet during a tribute to Arthur McCann, Ph.D., a beloved faculty member who passed away in April. He served as associate professor and chair of the Counseling Department and was director of school counseling in the School of Social and Behavioral Sciences. A Mercy alumna, expressing condolences to the family, noted that McCann was “a genuine, intelligent, and kind hearted person. I learned so much from him and I’ll be forever grateful for the knowledge he shared with us.”
“This ceremony is indicative of the kind of community we are. We care about each other,” says Heilbronner. “The relationships among Mercy faculty are cooperative, not competitive. It’s rare for faculty and administration to get along this well.” She attributes this collegial atmosphere to the quality of the faculty and to the relationship between faculty and administration under the leadership of Mercy College President Timothy L. Hall and Provost José Herrera, Ph.D. “Both men have a deep respect for faculty and all they accomplish, and that respect permeates the entire campus community.”