Jim Snyder receives Teaching Excellence Award Calling him a “teacher in the model of the best,” Mercyhurst He teaches and has created courses both for the liberal University has chosen Philosophy Department Chair arts core curriculum and Philosophy major, as well James Snyder, Ph.D., as the 2019 recipient of its Teaching as tutorials, interdisciplinary classes, Honors classes, Excellence Award.
and courses designed for Faculty-led Study Abroad Trips. His contributions to Mercyhurst include serving as department chair and on a variety of university
Provost Dr. Leanne M. Roberts noted that his colleagues describe Snyder as a scholar with a brilliant mind, a thoughtful and gentle human when interacting with all living things, and a man who loves the discipline of Philosophy. “Taking these in sum, it is no surprise Dr. Snyder was chosen for this award. He is most deserving and we are fortunate he has made Mercyhurst his home
committees.
Snyder has contributed to a vast range of publications and presentations during his Mercyhurst career. This summer, he attended a prestigious Council of Independent Colleges seminar on the Ancient Greek Hero at Harvard University’s
for the past 18 years.”
Center for Hellenistic Studies, which is designed to increase and expand student engagement with the literature of ancient Greece. Associate provost appointed
John Olszowka, Ph.D., has been named associate provost for Graduate Programming & Strategic Academic
focus on industry and market demands, and will facilitate
innovative non-degree programming.
Initiatives.
Olszowka is a 14-year veteran and former chair of the Thomas B. Hagen History Department and most recently served as associate dean of the Hafenmaier College of
He’ll serve as the academic leader for Mercyhurst’s graduate programs; work with Provost’s Council on program development and administration; and collaborate with the Ofce of Graduate Enrollment to scale graduate and professional programs. He’ll help to establish corporate and professional education opportunities that
Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences.
In Memoriam
The Mercyhurst community continues to mourn the deaths of two beloved faculty members in recent months. Dr. Karen Christensen Williams, Professor of Spanish, passed away April 27 from complications due to cancer. She was a dedicated and well-respected teacher of Spanish, linguistics, and culture for 23 years. Karen co- wrote a text, Human Communication Across Cultures , which refected her years of teaching sociolinguistics at Mercyhurst, where students learned tolerance for our linguistic and cultural diferences. During a memorial service on campus on May 6, Dr. Alice Edwards said of her colleague, “After 23 years, Karen left a legacy all over the country and the world: from Alaska, Indiana, and New York City, to Spain, Italy, and Vietnam; students who are now teachers, professors, artists, soldiers, and chefs have sent their condolences and remember Karen as a gentle but challenging mentor and inspirational teacher.”
Thomas Kitchen, Assistant Professor of Special Education and Applied Disability Studies, passed away on July 5. He was a two-time Mercyhurst graduate who returned to our campus in 2010 as a dedicated teacher who pioneered online learning in the Department of Education. His research was widely published and highly regarded in the felds of Special Education and Applied Behavior Analysis. He was a Board-Certifed Behavior Analyst whose expertise was sought by schools and agencies for work with complex cases and team training. He will be remembered as a caring clinician, a dedicated teacher, and a valued colleague in his department. An on-campus memorial service will be held this fall.
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