Alumna gift to reward graduate teaching

A gift from an appreciative alumna will recognize and help graduate teaching assistants in the Department of History at the College.

Debra Meyers, who received both her master's and doctoral degrees from the College, has presented a donation to the department that will fund an annual prize for a graduate student who has excelled in teaching. The award will be based on undergraduate evaluations and letters of support from faculty, which will be reviewed by the department's Graduate Studies Committee. The prize will be awarded for the first time during Commencement this May. Students who assisted during the fall semester or who will be assisting in a course in the spring are eligible to apply.

"Teaching in today's job market is highly valued, as it should be, and this type of recognition for work well done is extremely significant," said Alice Conklin, associate professor and director of graduate studies in the department. "Schools are looking for strong teachers and put weight on these awards."

Meyers is an assistant professor at Long Island University CW Post Campus, an appointment she received not long after being awarded her doctorate in 1997. She credits her education at Rochester with her swift placement.

"In today's market it's difficult for Ph.D.s to find positions," she commented. "Since I was offered a tenure-track position so quickly, I think the University deserves some of the credit. The school's status and the fine preparation the history department gave me proved essential for my success."

Meyers' graduate work at Rochester focused on colonial American history, but she also completed minors in women's studies and African-American history. Her advisors were John Waters, Stanley Engerman, and Larry Hudson, and she did her doctoral dissertation on "Religion, Women, and the Family in Maryland, 1634-1713." During her five graduate years, Meyers worked as a teaching assistant with Celia Applegate and Daniel Borus, and also assisted Waters and Hudson.

"All of those experiences were very important for my development as a teacher," she stated. "I learned a lot from these professors about how to teach and what to expect from students, but also their personal interactions with students were enlightening." The experience helped determine how her donation would be used when she discussed her gift with department chair Robert Westbrook.

"I thought that one way to show my appreciation and commend the department was to do something that also helped the graduate students," she explained. "I felt that offering a prize in teaching was a great way to recognize the work of TAs, especially since most of the TAs at the University put forth 150 percent effort."