Randolph-Macon College celebrated the accomplishments of faculty, students and staff at Honors Convocation on May 17, 2019. Marching with faculty, graduating seniors gathered in Blackwell Auditorium, RMC Center for the Performing Arts. President Robert R. Lindgren welcomed students, staff, faculty and friends to the event.

Among the student awards presented were the following:
Alexandra Hanks ’19 received the Mary Mildred Sullivan Award; Benton Wentz ’19 received the Algernon Sydney Sullivan Award; and Brianne Habit ’19 and Stephenson Botten ’19 were presented the Janet Harvey Trivette & W. Proctor Harvey Jr. Endowed Student Award.

In addition, several faculty and staff members were honored. The Thomas Branch Award for Excellence in Teaching Award, The United Methodist Church Exemplary Teaching Award, The Samuel Nelson Gray Distinguished Professor Award, The Samuel Nelson Gray Distinguished Administrator Award, and The Marilyn J. Gibbs Dedicated Service Award were presented.

The Thomas Branch Award for Excellence in Teaching, presented by Provost William T. Franz
Recipients: Professors Lauren Bell, Antonina Farmer and Melanie Fennell

In 1969, RMC received a gift from the Cabell Foundation as a memorial to Thomas Branch, president of Merchant’s Bank, a member of the Board of Trustees from 1846-1883, and one of the principal figures responsible for the college’s relocation from Boydton, Virginia to Ashland. The gift established the Thomas Branch Award for Excellence in Teaching. The award is given annually, and the recipient is selected by the students of Phi Beta Kappa, Omicron Delta Kappa, and the Honors Program.

Lauren Bell (Dean of Academic Affairs and Professor of Political Science) joined the faculty in 1999. She earned her B.A. from the College of Wooster and her M.A. and Ph.D. from The University of Oklahoma.

“I needed very little input from our students to confirm the energy invested in Professor Bell’s teaching,” said Franz. “That she spends long hours getting every detail prepared for each and every class, I know very well. That she will meet with students seeking her help for hours on end, I know very well. That students regularly seek her out, I know very well. That she employs some of the most creative pedagogies imaginable in her courses, I know very well. That she is incredibly informed about her subject matter and highly decorated for her skills beyond this campus, I know very well. I know all of these things because her office is directly next door to mine. I can attest to what a fabulous teacher she is, a worthy recipient—now for the third time—of the Thomas Branch Award for Teaching Excellence.”

Antonina Farmer (Psychology) joined the faculty in 2014. She earned her B.A. from Princeton University, and her M.A. and Ph.D. from George Mason University.

“Accompanying the word ‘energy’ in student descriptions of Professor Farmer are words like ‘passion,’ ‘enthusiasm’ and ‘positivity,'” noted Franz. “Students found her ability to bring some of her own real-life experiences into the classroom particularly enlightening. She is regarded as challenging, yet helpful and most certainly inspirational. One student went so far as to recommend her for this award despite never having a class with her; hearing her presentation at an Accepted Students Day made her want to be here and to be a psychology major. Highly regarded for her classroom teaching and inspiring approaches, Professor Farmer is a most worthy recipient of the Thomas Branch Award for Teaching Excellence.”

Melanie Fennell (Economics) joined the faculty in 2015. She earned her B.A. from Stonehill College, her M.Sc. from University College of London, and her Ph.D. from George Washington University.

Students who nominated Fennell referenced her attentiveness to student needs and her ability to provide explanations, often in different ways, until the class was ready to move on to the next topic.

“Her colleagues have attested to the number of students who seek her out for help beyond the walls of the classroom,” said Franz. “And it is not just her helpfulness and the energy she brings to her teaching—students claim, ‘she really knows her stuff’ and they recognize her mastery of the subject matter and the depth of her understanding of what she is teaching. Professor Fennell has quickly engaged with her department and the entire campus community.”

The United Methodist Church Exemplary Teaching Award, presented by President Lindgren
Recipient: Denise Bissler (Sociology)

The Board of Higher Education and Ministry of The United Methodist Church, jointly with RMC, annually recognizes a professor who exemplifies teaching excellence, civility, concern for students and colleagues, commitment to value-centered education, and service to students, the institution, the community and church.

Denise Bissler joined the faculty in 2003. She earned her B.A. and M.A. from University of Akron and her Ph.D. from North Carolina State University.

“The energy that Professor Bissler brings to her classes is truly infectious,” said Lindgren. “Her students consistently applaud her excellent teaching methods, her ability to create an environment for open dialogue in her classroom, and her willingness to go above and beyond to assist them. A former chair of the Department of Sociology, Anthropology and Criminology, she created and directs our new criminology major, which means not only serving our current students, but connecting with prospective students.”

Bissler, who serves on the Committee on Resources and Plans, the Student Employment Committee, and the Student Conduct Board, also serves as a Title IX investigator. She recently completed a term as president of the Sociologists for Women in Society in the South Region, and currently serves as vice-president elect for the Southern Sociological Society. “Dedicated to our students, passionate about her teaching and scholarship, and deeply respected by her colleagues, Professor Bissler is an invaluable member of the Randolph-Macon community,” said Lindgren.

The Samuel Nelson Gray Distinguished Professor Award, presented by President Lindgren Recipient: Ted Sheckels Jr. (Communication Studies; English)

The Samuel Nelson Gray Distinguished Professor Award was established by Mrs. Virginia Clark Gray Backus in memory of her husband, an alumnus and former trustee of RMC. Although called the Distinguished Professor Award, this prize was established to honor the faculty member or senior administrator selected by the president as the person who has made a distinguished contribution to the college.

Ted Sheckels Jr. joined the faculty in 1980. He earned his B.S. from Duquesne University and his M.A. and Ph.D. from The Pennsylvania State University.

“Teaching outstanding English, Film Studies, Political Science and Communication Studies courses, Professor Sheckels’ breadth and depth of knowledge and experience is profoundly valuable to our students,” said Lindgren. “From Margaret Atwood, to British Commonwealth Literature, to Political Communications—his scholarship is expansive and provides our students with rich and relevant course content from a notable expert.”

Sheckels has held two endowed professorships during his tenure—the A.G. Ingram professorship of English, and, currently, the Charles J. Potts professorship in Social Science. Sheckels has also served in numerous leadership roles. “The great care and powerful mentorship that Professor Sheckels has provided to our Franklin Debating Society debaters has earned great acclaim, both state and nationwide, with the Society winning the Welch-Strine Debating Championship Trophy for the past eight years under his direction,” noted Lindgren. “He has certainly left a significant mark on Randolph-Macon College, shaping literally thousands of minds in the liberal arts tradition, both inside and outside the classroom.”

The Samuel Nelson Gray Distinguished Administrator Award, presented by President Lindgren
Recipient: Grant Azdell (Vice President for Student Affairs and Dean of Students)

Grant Azdell joined the staff in 2008. He earned his B.A. from Lynchburg College, his M.Div. from Vanderbilt University and his Ph.D. from University of Virginia.

“In a role that keeps him on call 24/7, often in a largely behind-the-scenes capacity, Grant Azdell has never failed to go above and beyond the call of duty in service to our students, staff, and faculty,” said Lindgren. “Expertly managing the needs of 11 diverse departments, he is constantly aware of how his decisions affect the day-to-day needs of our students, his staff, and the institution at-large.” Lindgren continued, “His leadership has taken our college to new heights, with the building of two new state-of-the-art residence halls, a skillfully planned and well-utilized student center, and the acquisition of a 70-acre horse farm. He has used his long-time passion for EMT work to establish an EMT program on campus, and he also serves as our campus crisis manager, leading members of our staff in preparedness training for a systematic emergency response process. And true to his consummate servant leadership style, he is not self-seeking. Rather, he seeks opportunities to recognize other dedicated employees. Most importantly, his servant leadership has transformed the student experience for thousands of Yellow Jackets, a pivotal measure of our college’s success.”

The Marilyn J. Gibbs Dedicated Service Award, presented by Jen Thompson, Executive Assistant to the President
Recipient: Claire Stevens (Senior Director of Leadership Giving & Alumni Relations)

This award was created by a generous gift from former Dean of Admissions and Financial Aid Steven Nape and his wife Diane. This award is given annually to a staff member for outstanding service to and support of the mission of the college. The award is named in honor of Marilyn J. Gibbs, whose 18 years of dedicated service to the college as assistant professor of sociology and then registrar exemplified the highest ideals embodied in the college’s mission.

Claire Stevens joined the staff in 2008. She earned her B.A. from Furman University.

“In a few short weeks, the college will break ground on the new nursing building, the 16th new or renovated building in the past eight years,” said Thompson. “These buildings, of course, have transformed our campus, and as you have heard President Lindgren say many times, we have been able to do this without using a single dollar of tuition money. In very large part, that is because of the truly outstanding and successful efforts of Claire Stevens. Her graceful, hard work—work that is so often behind the scenes—has made an enormous difference at Randolph-Macon.” Thompson continued, “I have been amazed to see all that Claire does to constantly and authentically generate so much love, enthusiasm and generous support for our college. Her profound dedication and deeply personal investment in our students, faculty, staff, parents, alumni and friends of the college make her so deserving of this award.”

Following the event, Madison Albritton ’20 led guests in singing RMC’s alma mater.