Presentation of Awards
Owen Jander
Owen Jander, Professor of Music, has an enthusiasm for music which is wonderfully contagious. Student and faculty alike sit in his class, entranced. He puts so much life and energy into his teaching that his audience is irresistibly drawn into his love for music. He doesn’t just teach the material, he feels it. Perhaps best known for the introductory course Music 100. Professor Jander is renowned for his famous experiment using dripping molasses to illustrate the rhythmic flows of a musical melisma. He is an exceptional teacher in every sense of the word; or, as one of his students exclaimed, “Thank God for Owen Jander!”
Nancy Kolodny
Nancy Kolodny, Professor and Chair of the Chemistry Department, is an outstanding teacher, mentor, and role model for women in science. She challenges her students to exceed their own expectations and also helps them build confidence in themselves as scientists. She has given her students the opportunity to participate as full partners in “cutting edge” research while at the same time inspiring them to generate their own ideas and master the fundamentals of a complex discipline. In her seminar on Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy and Imaging, she has successfully presented a unique course that has combined student participation, outside resources, and her vast knowledge of the subject. Dynamic and caring, she always makes time for students; office hours on Sundays or holidays are a common occurrence. On student has said, “Nancy Kolodny has given me the challenge, the interest, and the knowledge to be a chemist rather than simply a chemistry major. As a teacher, she is simply the best.”
Andrew Shennan
Andrew Shennan, Assistant Professor of History, is known to his students as the epitome of a good professor – kind, caring, and most importantly, challenging. With the breadth of his paper topics, he forces his students to go out on a limb and encourages them to have faith in themselves. One student says that in class “Professor Shennan doesn’t prune a discussion to give it the ‘correct’ shape, but lets it grown with twists and quirks to become something interesting. He encourages you to use your own mind, and doesn’t repress the resulting eccentricities.” He has worked extensively and personally with students, asking their advice, and showing his commitment to the development of new programs in the history department.
Andy Shennan is a professor who deeply understands learning, teaching, and the Wellesley community.