Prof. David Field Receives Exemplary Teaching Award

December 2, 2002

December 2, 2002, Greencastle, Ind. - J. David Field, Professor of English at DePauw University, is the recipient of the Exemplary Teaching Award for the 2002-03 academic year. The annual award is given jointly by DePauw University and the General Board of Higher Education of the United Methodist Church to recognize a faculty member who exemplifies excellence in teaching, civility and concern for students and colleagues, commitment to value-centered education, and service to students, the institution and the community.

Nominations for the award are solicited from faculty members, and Neal Abraham, Vice President for Academic Affairs and Dean of the Faculty, notes that many nominations were received. In announcing Dr. Field's selection, Dean Abraham offered his congratulations to the professor and his "thanks for all you have done for your students, for your faculty colleagues, and for DePauw University."

David Field's colleagues describe him as "intellectually vigorous [and] enthusiastic about students' work. He never corrupts or undermines their participation with cynicism or carelessness." He is called a premier adviser to students and faculty colleagues, and, as Dr. Abraham notes, Field "is touted as among the finest, if not indeed the finest, teachers of writing in this school's august history in that area."

A teacher of literature and creative writing, David Field's students remark that he is one of the best professors they have ever had. One wrote that he "has a unique way of presenting things in class, especially through the Internet, music and pictures." Another wrote, "he's got this way of teaching you to see inside the skin of a book, get into the muscle and marrow of the characters. I come out of this class with a new way of turning pages." Yet another wrote, "Professor Field was encouraging and helpful in the editing process and offered consistent insight."

Previous recipients of the Exemplary Teaching Award are Tom Chiarella, Andrea Sununu, Valarie Ziegler, Craig Paré, John Dittmer, Terri Bonebright and Carl Singer. "Together they provide inspiration to all of us as models of DePauw's enduring commitment to the pre-eminent importance of creative and effective teaching by its faculty members," Dr. Abraham said.

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