Clark salutes retiring faculty at reception
Clark University on Tuesday honored seven retiring faculty members representing 215 years of collective service to Clark University. At a reception held in the ASEC lobby, President David Fithian noted that while the professors represent a variety of departments and disciplines, they are united by their desire to provide students with a transformative education, shape the culture of the institution, and represent “what makes Clark, Clark.”
Honored at the reception were professors María Acosta Cruz (40 years) and Everett Fox (40 years), Language, Literature, and Culture; Parminder Bhachu (34 years) and Debbie Merrill (34 years), Sociology; Justin Thackeray (30 years) and Deb Robertson (26 years), Biology; and Dana Bauer (11 years), Economics and the George Perkins Marsh Institute.
Provost John Magee added his accolades, referencing the unacknowledged “invisible work” that professors often do to help Clark students navigate the path from newly graduated high school students to accomplished young adults and professionals. “You make an impact,” he said. As evidence, Magee read from student assessments of the professors, which lauded them for conducting their classes with passion, humor, kindness, and positivity, and for making complex topics accessible while also challenging them to push themselves.
Denis Larochelle, professor of biology, said that with the retirement of Robertson and Thackeray, Clark was losing “two major pillars” from the Biology Department and the wider institution. He also read from student reviews, which described Thackeray as “calm and meticulous” and who made biology “fun yet important.” A student wrote that he “gave the skills and content knowledge to transition to a successful career.”
Robertson was lauded for inspiring her students with compassion and creativity and as “a constant source of discovery and adventure.” She brought students to seaside settings for lively research experiences involving first-hand observations and data-gathering. As one student summed it: “She rocks.”
In tributes to her fellow sociologists, Professor Rosalie Torres Stone noted that Merrill “understood the big picture and the human details,” noting her research and incisive books that have explored such intimate topics as in-law relationships, caring for elderly parents, and dealing with menopause (an an upcoming book on identity and retirement). Bhachu was described as a “trailblazer” who wrote five influential books on subjects like migration, race, technology and diaspora studies. Psychology Professor Nancy Budwig presented a copy of a 1986 Elle magazine story that listed Bhachu as a “mover and shaker” on the global stage, a sought-after lecturer and author of “intellectual moxie.”
María Acosta Cruz and Everett Fox will be missed, said Eduard Arriaga-Arango, chair of Language, Literature, and Culture. Fox is a renowned scholar of biblical studies, with six books and 17 journal articles to his credit, Arriaga said. An engaged Clark citizen, he strengthened the community with his “enthusiasm, kindness, and genuine passion for teaching.” Acosta Cruz has been recognized for her scholarly pursuits, her joy of teaching, and as a leader in the Massachusetts Hispanic community, Arriaga said. Her most recent book, “Disaster Nation: An Ecocritical Study of Puerto Rican Culture” signals her immersion into the environmental humanities, he said. Geography Professor Rinku Roy Chowdhury threw her arm around Acosta Cruz and recalled taking a Spanish language class with her “that instilled in me a great love of Latino culture.”
Describing her as an “unsung hero,” Marsh Institute Director Rob Johnston noted that Bauer doesn’t trumpet her accomplishments, which are many — from running student research programs to conducting an extensive study of farmers’ behavior and practices. The moment was poignant for him, given that Bauer was once Johnston’s research assistant while a graduate student at the University of Rhode Island. Economics colleague Jacqueline Geoghegan said that Bauer was masterful at teaching complex subject matter and is someone “who only wants the best for her students.”
Photos by Steven King
