Six faculty members honored with endowed chairs

Six new appointments to endowed chairs were recently announced at Skidmore.

There are currently 20 endowed chairs at the College, established through generous donations of alumni and friends to recognize the talents, accomplishments, and ongoing promise of members of the faculty across a range of disciplines. Candidates are nominated by their peers and typically occupy the chairs for a period of several years.

In announcing the appointments, Vice President for Academic Affairs Susan Kress applauded the pool of exceptional candidates nominated and relished the opportunity to ?recognize the extraordinary work of our splendid faculty members.?

The appointments are as follows:

John Anzalone, professor of French, was appointed to the Class of 1948 Chair for Excellence in Teaching. A member of the faculty since 1985, Anzalone was the inaugural recipient of the Ralph A. Ciancio Award for Excellence in Teaching in 2001-2002 and the 2008 Edwin M. Moseley Faculty Lecturer. His research and teaching, whether on the social upheaval of late 18th-century France or French film of the 1930s, has engaged students in interdisciplinary study and born fruit in an extensive archive of scholarly work. Equally extensive is his history of service to the College, including chairmanship of the Department of Foreign Languages and Literatures from 1992-1998. Calling him a ?teacher-scholar-citizen par excellence,? Kress applauded him as a model of excellence in teaching.

The Class of 1948 established this endowed chair in 1998 to mark its 50th Reunion. The appointment honors a faculty member with a long and distinguished record of teaching at the College who has served as a mentor to new faculty and a model of dedication to the intellectual growth of our students.

John Brueggemann, professor of sociology, was appointed to the Quadracci Chair in Social Responsibility. Brueggeman?s research and teaching on class, race, social movements, and labor history have earned him high praise from leading sociologists and Skidmore students alike. Kress praised him for his active citizenship both within the College, where he served as Associate Dean of Faculty and chaired the Department of Anthropology, Sociology, and Social Work, and in the local community, where he has marshaled faculty and students to volunteer in programs serving the unmet and largely ignored needs of the city?s Latino community.

Endowed by Harry Quadracci and the Quadracci family, this professorship supports the teaching and research of faculty members whose work focuses on situational ethics, cultural study, and sustainable social responsibility, whether in the humanities, social sciences, natural sciences, or professional programs.

Kate Leavitt, associate professor and chair of the Art Department, was appointed to the Robert Davidson Chair in Art. A member of the faculty since 1987, Levitt has distinguished herself as a Tamarind Master Printer and a master teacher who inspires students with her passion, creativity, and conviction. Her students? work earns praise from colleagues and her own work is exhibited extensively in the region and internationally. ?Despite chairing her department and serving on many committees for the College,? said Kress, ?Kate has sustained a stunning record of artistic work, pushing boundaries, and breaking new ground at a remarkable pace.?

This professorship was established in 1998 by Jean-Ellen ?37 and William J. Ash in honor of sculptor Robert Davidson, faculty member at Skidmore from 1933 to 1971. The chair honors a distinguished artist and teacher who had a profound impact on students.

Mary-Elizabeth O'Brien, professor of German and chair of the Department of Foreign Languages and Literatures, was appointed to the Courtney and Steven Ross Chair in Interdisciplinary Studies. A highly regarded scholar of German film and active citizen of the College community, O?Brien is in her 19th year at Skidmore. Described by colleagues as a first-rate teacher-scholar, she has experimented widely with different pedagogies and different media to engage students in the study of German language, literature, and film. Kress noted that her ?inspiring leadership? of the International Affairs Program secured the faculty?s approval of the IA major and the successful passage of Skidmore?s third Title VI-A grant application.

Courtney Sale Ross ?70 established the Courtney and Steven Ross Chair in Interdisciplinary Studies to underscore the centrality of interdisciplinary studies at Skidmore and honor faculty excellence at the intersections of the arts and sciences, between professional programs and the liberal arts, between more closely allied disciplines, or within Liberal Studies.

Greg Pfitzer, professor of American studies and chair of the department, was appointed to the Douglas Family Chair in American Culture, History, and Literary and Interdisciplinary Studies. Widely acknowledged as one of the finest teachers at the College, Piftzer was honored with the Ciancio Prize in 2003-2004. A scholar of the history of historical writing, Pfitzer joined the Skidmore faculty in 1989, and in the 20 years since has proved himself an accomplished and original cultural historian, taught with distinction across all levels, engaged in collaborative research, published three books, chaired his department for a decade, and in Kress?s words, ?been an exemplary citizen of the College.?

The Douglas Family Chair recognizes excellence in the area of American culture, whether in history, literature, or interdisciplinary studies.

Paul Sattler, associate professor of art, was appointed to the Ella Van Dyke Tuthill ?32 Chair in Studio Art. A gifted artist and teacher, he has been praised by colleagues for raising the bar in the education of students and challenging them to reach new levels of excellence in their work. Kress noted that as a ?voracious and prolific painter? represented by galleries in Boston and New York, honored with a prestigious Guggenheim Fellowship in 2006, Sattler brings great visibility to the College. ?Yet he is generous in taking on service assignments as well,? Kress noted. He teaches courses in drawing, painting and color theory.

Established by the College in 1993 in honor of Ella Van Dyke Tuthill ?32, alumna trustee, benefactor, and frequent participant in the College?s art programs, the Tuthill Chair recognizes the teaching and artistry of faculty members who have distinguished themselves in the studio and in group and solo exhibitions.