It was a very difficult decision, and we received
wonderful letters about each of the finalists.
Unfortunately we do have to make a decision,
and without further adieu I'd like to announce
that professor Rebecca Lingafelter will be
this years teacher of the year.
I think it's always surprising to people that
I get actually really nervous talking in front
of groups of people when I'm not in a character,
so I apologize for my shakiness. I am just
so thrilled at this award. I just can't think
of really a more lovely thing to get to receive,
so thank you to the Pamplin Society for having
this in the first place. To be among this
group of incredible professors and humans
is also a really lovely place to be so congratulations
on your nominations. I also I guess want to
talk about the department, and how incredible
the faculty in the theater department is,
and how supportive they are to my work, my
work outside of class and inside of class.
How much flexibility they've given me, in
terms of what I'm teaching, and how I'm teaching
it. I guess most importantly is the students.
I don't know what they put in the water at
this college, but it is just unbelievable
that year after year, I've been here so long,
in the three years I've been here I just feel
like every class I come into there's just
this whole new crew of open-hearted, caring,
kind, enthusiastic, curious, intelligent,
passionate people. I mean what is better than
that? It's just a profound joy to get to share
space with them, and that's kind of how I
feel about my teaching. I will just end with
this, our third rail repertory theater just
did a play called "The Night Alive" by Conor
McPheirson, and one of the lines in the play
is a character saying to his friend that,
"you know you're in heaven when everything
just seems to click into place," and I often
feel like I'm in heaven at Lewis and Clark,
so thank you all very much.
