May 18, 2021
Faculty news: Spring 2021
Top-scholar honors presented to trio for achievements
Congratulations to these Providence College faculty for recognition of their achievements as scholars and educators during the past two academic years:
- Dr. Thomas F. Strasser, professor of art history, is the recipient of the Outstanding Faculty Scholar Award for 2021. His research focuses on Aegean prehistoric archaeology — roughly the Homeric period of Greece and Western Turkey, prior to approximately 776 B.C. — and makes special reference to the Cretan Stone Ages, island archaeology, and ancient seafaring. He has received more than $298,000 in research funds since joining the PC faculty in 2005, from organizations such as the National Geographic Society, the National Endowment for the Humanities, and the American School of Classical Studies in Athens.
- Dr. Anthony K. Jensen, professor of philosophy was honored with the Outstanding Faculty Scholar Award for 2020. A specialist in late modern philosophy, especially the figures of Friedrich Nietzsche, Arthur Schopenhauer, and Goethe, he focuses thematically in philosophy of history, philosophy of psychology, and epistemology. Jensen has written three books and received five fellowships from organizations including the National Endowment for the Humanities and the Fulbright Foundation.
- Dr. Deborah I. Levine, associate professor of health policy and management, received the 2019-20 Joseph R. Accinno Faculty Teaching Award, the College’s top teaching award. A medical historian, Levine focuses her research on the history of medicine, health, patient experience, health insurance, and disease. One of her students wrote: “Dr. Levine loves history and used this passion to make sure that students enjoyed these topics, as well. For insurance, she used very relevant current events to emphasize how important a topic this was.”
Six faculty retire after combined 200 years of service
Six full-time members of the ordinary faculty retired from teaching at the College at the end of the 2019-20 academic year. They enlightened the minds of thousands of students for a combined 196 years. Leading the ranks of service was Dr. Mary L. Bellhouse, professor of political science, who retired after 43 years. The retirees, by name, rank, year start date, and administrative roles (where applicable), are:
- Dr. Mary L. Bellhouse*, professor of political science, 1977
- Richard “Chard” deNiord, professor of English; 1998
- Dr. Deborah J. Johnson*, professor of art history and of women’s and gender studies, 1988; director, Women’s Studies Program, 2003-04
- Dr. Patricia M. Lawlor*, professor of French; 1982; department chair, 2002-08, and acting director, Women’s Studies Program, spring 2009
- Judith M. Morse, assistant professor of accountancy; 1989; department chair, 1997- 2006, spring 2008, and spring 2015
- Dr. David A. Zalewski*, professor of finance; 1990; department chair, 2019-2020
*Accorded emeritus status on July 1, 2020
Also retiring at the end of the 2019-20 academic year after contributing 50 years of service to PC as a part-time faculty member and administrator was Rev. J. Stuart McPhail, O.P. ’61. Father McPhail taught as a special lecturer in theology for his final 13 years after serving as a special lecturer in history and religious studies earlier in his service.
