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03/13/03 - Reinhardt Dean Selected To Receive Reinhardt Mission Award During College�s Faculty Appreciation Luncheon
Margaret
"Peg" O'Connor, a member of the Reinhardt communications faculty since
1987, was selected by the College's staff to receive the institution's
first Reinhardt Mission Award.
Presented during the Faculty
Appreciation Luncheon on March 11, 2003, O'Connor was selected as "the
faculty member who most exhibits the Reinhardt mission, one who changes
lives for the better through continuous and life-long learning, one who
also integrates faith and learning, and who educates the whole person by
developing the intellectual, social, personal, vocational, spiritual, moral and physical dimensions of their students," said Director of Human Resources Donna C. Merrell.
O'Connor expressed surprise at being selected. �I think I�m fortunate to work here with so many fine people. I
look around the room, and I call many of you not just colleagues, but
dear, wonderful friends, some of the best friends I�ve had in my
life... The staff here at Reinhardt is just exceptional. They
are kind people, good people, and to receive something special like
this award from this group, well, I�m just overwhelmed. I am deeply touched.�
Her colleagues were not as surprised by the staff�s selection.
"I was delighted to see Dean Peg O'Connor receive recognition
for her contributions to this institution," Reinhardt President Dr. J.
Thomas Isherwood said. "She is a wonderful asset to this College. I believe that her award is all the more important in that is was offered by our staff. It is further indication of the very positive relationships, the teamwork, that exists at our College."
O'Connor, a resident of Alpharetta, Ga., has taught communication at Reinhardt since 1987.
She currently serves as an assistant dean of the College, director of
the Falany Performing Arts Center and dean of the new School of
Communication Arts and Music. With the faculty rank of
assistant professor, she has 24 years of experience in teaching
communications, writing, English, journalism and public speaking at the
college level. O'Connor earned her bachelor's and masterï's degrees in communication from Rowan University (Glassboro, NJ). In
the mid-1990s, she was instrumental in creating Reinhardt's four-year
programs in communications, and for several years, she advised campus
newspaper staff.
The luncheon also included praise for Reinhardt's faculty from
Isherwood, Merrell and Vice President and Dean of the College Dr.
Earnest J. Zeller.
Merrell said, "Reinhardt faculty are a group of scholars dedicated to educating our students as whole people. You are caring, family-oriented instructors who put your students first... In working with Dr. Isherwood, you will lead us into a new era of growth and academic excellenceï. There is a mountain of evidence that one person really can make a difference. I believe that each and every one of you is already making a contribution to that end."
Isherwood said, "I am so very impressed by your energy, your competence, your commitment and your creativity. In every way at Reinhardt's all about the community that we build. You are the center of that community. While in many ways the community is for the students, the success of that community is in your hands, and in your hands only. We always need to ensure that we have the resources that will permit us to continually renew ourselves... One thing I am going to be asking you over and over again is: 'What's next?' We need to be continually involved in renewing ourselves. It's the only way to keep the spirit alive. It's the only way to keep this the exciting adventure that it is. Most importantly I wanted to say thank you. I
wanted to that you for your ability to both care and challenge, to
combine them both in what we do with our students is both an art and a
science."
Zeller said that during his last year at Reinhardt
when he served as the institution's chief academic officer he was
surrounded "by heroes of the best kind -- the kind that stay in the
trenches and do the work they are called to do... This faculty keeps learning as it keeps moving in the direction it has to go. Emerson said, 'Do not go to where the path may lead. Instead
go where there is no path and leave a trail.'It's a great pleasure for
me and a delight and an honor to be a part of the faculty in the various
roles that I've had." Return to Previous Page
For more information Office of Marketing and Communications, top floor of Burgess Administration Building
media relations Lauren Thomas (770) 720-5514 LHT@reinhardt.edu
marketing Marsha White (770) 720-5512 MSW@reinhardt.edu
graphic design Amanda Brown (770) 720-5907 ALB@reinhardt.edu
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