SACC News

SACC News

Mark Lewine Receives National Award

(SACC Section Column reprinted from Anthropology News, January 2007)
Lloyd Miller, Contributing Editor

Though by now it’s old news, the long-time editor of this column would like to congratulate long-time SACC member and past-president Mark Lewine on being named “2006 U.S. Outstanding Community Colleges Professor of the Year.” This prestigious award, one of four given annually, is sponsored by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching and administered by the Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE). The other three outstanding award categories are for baccalaureate colleges, doctoral and research universities, and master’s universities and colleges.

“An extraordinary dedication to undergraduate teaching” is the main factor in candidate selection. In their press release, CASE and Carnegie stated that “Lewine’s commitment to promote community college education is evident in his teaching... during the past 35 years, he has worked to dispel stereotypes associated with community colleges and has encouraged graduate students and community college students to work together on archaeological digs, during which all educational differences disappear. Lewine’s teaching style is engaging, accessible, and demanding—all qualities that drive students to achieve their best work.”

In introducing Mark, a former student, Melanie Allamby, stated, “He truly seems happiest when he helps his students make connections with opportunities and people that can help them grow.” In an email to Mark, AAA past president Don Brenneis said, “...your intelligence, engagement, imagination, and commitments to community, students, and anthropological ways of paying attention to the world really shone through all the materials. And I’m delighted that the award also will help bring both SACC and all our colleagues teaching in community colleges into a well deserved limelight.” Typical of the unsolicited correspondence from strangers Mark received was one that remarked, “I was humbled by the article [in the Chronicle online] describing your work with community college students and your willingness to develop innovative means to help these students access research experience.”

In his acceptance speech, Mark stated, “A professor at a community college must love teaching and students; we have so many of them every semester. No one should teach at a community college as a fallback second choice position—our students demand your full enthusiastic attention.” And in another statement reflecting his passion for teaching: “My colleagues tell me that my most notable professional contribution has been the creation of programs that include community-linked education and research within our rather limited two-year college curricula. These programs provide research opportunities for students left out of higher-level academic work. Our greatest success is achieved with student researchers who become interns on our projects, then peer mentors for other students, and then eventually apply their learning toward high-level achievement in graduate school. They become our role models for new students.”

CASE and the Carnegie Foundation have been granting these awards since 1982 and describe this program as “the only national initiative specifically designed to recognize excellence in undergraduate teaching and mentoring.” In addition to $5,000 in cash and a framed certificate of recognition, national winners are offered numerous opportunities during the year for speaking engagements, media interviews, teaching forums, and public service announcements, all designed to highlight the importance of teaching.

I’ve worked with Mark in SACC for quite a few years and can testify enthusiastically that he deserves this award. One need only be in Mark’s presence for a short time to feel the dedication and energy he brings to any discussion about students, learning, and anthropology. In every measure of excellence the judges considered—impact on undergraduate students, scholarly approach to teaching and learning, contributions to undergraduate education in the institution, community, and profession, and support from colleagues and both current and former undergraduate students—Mark excels. I’m excited for him, proud of him, and honored to be associated with him.

last updated: January 29, 2008
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