Adjunct and part-time faculty at the University of Hartford do outstanding and innovative work in the classroom. Each year, the Gordon Clark Ramsey Awards for Creative Excellence are presented to adjunct or part-time faculty for a proposed scholarly or creative project or for prior sustained scholarly or creative work related to classroom teaching.
The award is given in memory of Gordon Clark Ramsey, long-time secretary of the Faculty Senate and adjunct instructor in multiple disciplines.
Recipients of the latest Gordon Clark Ramsey Award for Creative Excellence were announced at the faculty-staff spring kickoff on Jan. 29 in Millard Auditorium.
This year’s honorees are Patrick Allen (UIS), MaryAnn Nusom Haverstock (CETA), and Maureen Sidman (Hillyer).
Meeting the recipients:
Patrick Allen, an educator in the University Interdisciplinary Studies program, worked as a training and human resources manager at UHart in the 1990s, then devoted more than 20 years to elementary and middle school teaching. He is known for his engaging manner, flexibility, fairness, accessibility, and for creating learning environments in which students feel they truly belong. Allen also volunteers at many campus events, and has sat on many faculty panels. “Patrick is one of the hardest-working part-time faculty members on campus. He makes every student in his path feel seen and heard,” says Julie Sochacki, associate dean for student academic services at the College of Arts and Sciences.
MaryAnn Nusom Haverstock, adjunct faculty member in the College of Engineering, Technology, and Architecture, has real-world experience that UHart engineering students can use to their best advantage. She began as a consultant on wastewater treatment, hazardous waste management, and stormwater management in Connecticut and New York. When Haverstock came to UHart, she developed a watershed management program curriculum. She works with students on their master's thesis preparations, and makes it an objective to discusses current issues faced by today’s engineers so that students are aware of them when they graduate. “MaryAnn’s dedication has been exceptional,” says David Pines, professor in the Department of Civil, Environmental, and Biomedical Engineering. “She puts her students first and her workplace connections have provided great opportunities for them.”
Maureen Sidman, adjunct instructor in speech for Hillyer College, has more than a decade at UHart as an educator in English composition, communication, effective speech, and related disciplines. Widely noted for her use of a highly effective, engaging, and instructional question-and-answer methodology, she consistently brings a vibrancy to the classroom that students find refreshing and enduring. “Maureen has an outstanding ability to connect with students, which is why this particular award makes so much sense,” says Michael Robinson, professor of history and chair of the Department of Humanities at Hillyer College. “In her presence, students can express themselves confidently, regardless of the topic or viewpoint. This award is richly deserved.”