FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 21, 2003

CONTACT: Lisa Lacher, (515) 271-3119

DRAKE PRESENTS TOP AWARDS FOR MENTORS, TEACHERS

Drake University's most prestigious awards for faculty and staff recently were presented to Carol Spaulding, associate professor of English, and Mark Vitha, assistant professor of chemistry.

The Madelyn M. Levitt Outstanding Mentor of the Year Award and Madelyn M. Levitt Outstanding Teacher of the Year Award were established in 1994 by Madelyn M. Levitt, a member of the Drake Board of Trustees and special assistant to President David Maxwell.

Spaulding received the Madelyn M. Levitt Mentor of the Year Award, which recognizes the faculty or staff member who best demonstrates excellence in advising and outstanding commitment to student success, and integrity in personal relationships. Vitha was honored with the Madelyn M. Levitt Teacher of the Year Award, which recognizes the faculty member who best demonstrates excellence in teaching, inspirational leadership and intellectual rigor.

Spaulding, who joined the Drake faculty in 1996, teaches fiction writing and American ethnic literature. As chair of the Drake Writers and Critics series, she has organized lectures and readings by esteemed authors and critics. In this past year, she launched the Drake Writers' Seminar and served as faculty adviser for Periphery, Drake's art and literary journal.

"Carol has challenged and inspired me not only in the classroom, but also in personal aspects of my life, as she's shared her kind ear and insightful advice innumerable times over the course of my college career, strengthening me as a student, a writer and a person," wrote a student nominating Spaulding for the award.

Vitha, who joined the Drake faculty in 1998, teaches chemistry as well as quantitative and instrumental analysis. He serves on the Faculty Senate and is the Barry M. Goldwater Science Scholarship campus coordinator. He has obtained research grants from organizations such as the National Science Foundation.

"Sometimes I see how much Dr. Vitha undertakes on a daily and yearly basis and am completely amazed," wrote a student who nominated Vitha for the award. "He is able to juggle so many things in his career. Then if I take a closer look and notice how much he enjoys everything that he does, I realize why the juggling is so easy for him. He wants to be a great teacher; he wants students to learn; he wants to do excellent research; and he wants to learn himself."