In co-chairing “the largest-scale curricular change at Saint Michael's College” in some 40 years, Professor of Religious Studies Edward Mahoney and Associate Professor of Chemistry Bret Findley were recognized at the annual SMC Academic Convocation with joint receipt of the Norbert A. Kuntz Service Award for 2011.
In presenting the award, last year’s winner, mathematics professor Dr. George Ashline read the citation which indicated that the entire faculty was deeply involved in the curriculum change, but that these two professors, as co-chairs of the key committee, deserve credit for shepherding the faculty through the process.
Dr. Bret Findley was praised for his “easy-going manner, his deep understanding of curricular issues, and his own experience of liberal arts education [which] gave his colleagues confidence in his leadership, and resulted in a coherent new educational program for the College.”
Dr. Edward Mahoney was described as a “service star” who won the Service award also in 1992. He was called “the steady hand behind the scenes early on,” who took the lead in bringing the new curriculum to life. His stature, reputation for wisdom, dedication to enhancing the Catholic identity of the institution all worked to accomplish this major college-wide undertaking. The result, the citation said “is an educational plan that is truly distinctive to Saint Michael’s.”
“The Faculty Council could not imagine giving the Service Award this year to one without the other,” Professor Ashline read.
Dr. Edward Mahoney of Essex Junction, director for many years of the storied SMC graduate program in theology and pastoral ministry, is an expert and frequent lecturer in the areas of the Human Genome Project; ethics and genetics; fundamental moral theology; and the ethics of long-term care.
Dr. Bret Findley of Burlington, who earned his Ph.D. in physical chemistry from Dartmouth, is expert in experimental physical chemistry; photo-induced electron transfer reactions; molecular spectroscopy; and physical chemistry pedagogy. He is the recipient of a number of Vermont Genetics Network grants, is widely published, and has made many poster presentations, frequently produced jointly with his SMC student research partners.
“For their extraordinary service to the faculty and students of Saint Michael's College in connection with the new curriculum, we are pleased today” Dr. Ashline read, “to present the 2011 Norbert A. Kuntz Service Award to Bret Findley and Edward Mahoney.”