Four members of Syracuse University London faculty received the Michael O'Leary Prize for Excellence in Teaching for Fall 2005.
The prize is named after Michael O'Leary, an emeritus member of the political science department at Syracuse. O'Leary exemplified the ways in which academic work can be used not only to address the desired learning outcomes of a given course, but to enable students to have a richer and more meaningful experience while abroad.
During the Fall 2005 semester, Chancellor Nancy Cantor and the University opened its arms to students who were affected by the devastation of Hurricane Katrina. Of the 74 students who chose to enroll at various SU Abroad centers, 41 came to London. This increased the number of students and anticipated class sizes at the center by almost a third. Because the majority of the students were business majors, the demand for extra faculty cooperation fell disproportionately on the management faculty. Four responded with particular grace, and have been named this semester's joint winners of the Michael O'Leary Award. They are: Graham Bolton, Tony Kemp, Joe Simmons and Nick Wilkinson.
The words of one student perhaps sum it up for all concerned: "You have no idea how much we appreciate what you have done for us."
