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Robert L. Deasy ’53, associate professor of history, smiles after being honored during Academic Convocation.
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Robert L. Deasy ’53, associate professor of history, received special recognition for his half-century of teaching at Providence College during Academic Convocation on September 20 on the Slavin Center Lawn.
Deasy was presented the Distinguished Faculty Service Award by College President Rev. Brian J. Shanley, O.P. As he accepted the plaque from Father Shanley, Deasy was accorded a sustained standing ovation by the approximately 280 members of the College community in attendance.
An expert in American presidential elections and politics, Deasy came to PC on July 1, 1956, as an instructor of history. He was promoted to assistant professor in 1959 and to associate professor in 1963. He has taught more than 20,000 students in the undergraduate day school, the School of Continuing Education, and the Graduate Studies Program.
"God has been good to me," said Deasy afterwards. He added that his career "doesn’t seem like 50 years. I love the classroom and the kids."
Deasy was one of two major faculty award recipients at convocation. Dr. Marian Mattison, associate professor of social work, was presented the 2005-06 Joseph R. Accinno Faculty Teaching Award, which was announced in April. The award is presented annually to a tenured faculty member who demonstrates excellence in teaching, a passion and enthusiasm for learning, and a genuine concern for students’ academic and personal growth.
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| Dr. Carolyn Yauyan Woo '06Hon., of the University of Notre Dame, presents the keynote address. |
Mattison, who is the fourth recipient of the teaching award, joined PC’s faculty in 1995 as an assistant professor after serving as a special lecturer at the College for a year.
Other highlights of convocation included the introduction of 24 new full-time faculty members, the formal conferring of tenure and rank promotions to a total of 14 faculty members, and a keynote address by Dr. Carolyn Yauyan Woo ’06Hon.
Woo is the Martin J. Gillen Dean of the Mendoza College of Business and the Ray and Milann Siegfried Chair in Entrepreneurial Studies at the University of Notre Dame. She received an honorary degree from PC during Commencement Exercises in May. In her convocation address, she called for teachers to serve as role models to students, who face numerous societal problems including terrorism, poverty, a dearth of health-care coverage, and high divorce rates.