Holy Cross History Professor Receives Distinguished Teaching Award
Three faculty members honored for 25 years of service to the College
Photo by: John Buckingham
Theresa M. McBride, professor of history, and a member of the College of the Holy Cross faculty since 1973, received the 2012 Distinguished Teaching Award at the College’s annual President’s Convocation and Awards Ceremony.
The Holy Cross Distinguished Teaching Award recognizes and honors the teaching excellence of the College’s faculty. After careful review of nominations a committee of students, faculty, and administrators selects the honoree. Recipients demonstrate the College’s commitment to teaching and personalized instruction by making ideas come alive for students both in and out of the classroom. The Distinguished Teaching Award recipient is invited to give the principal address during the President’s Convocation and is awarded an honorarium.
McBride received her M.A. and Ph.D. from Rutgers University and her B.A. from Seattle University. A celebrated scholar, her academic interests include modern France, modern Italy, environmental history and comparative history of women and gender. She has published many articles and book reviews, as well as a book titled “The Domestic Revolution: the Modernization of Household Service in England and France: 1820-1920 (Croon Helm, 1976). At Holy Cross, she has served as department chair of the history department, and as director of the College Honors Program and Environmental Studies. She also served as coordinator of Women’s Studies (now Women’s and Gender Studies) for two years. The recipient of many awards and fellowships, she received the College’s Arthur J. O’Leary Faculty Recognition Award in 2002, and in 2005 she was awarded a Lilly Vocational Discernment Grant for Teaching. Active in the local community, she recently helped to organize a major fundraising campaign celebrating the 125th anniversary of the YWCA of Central Massachusetts.
During the ceremony, Timothy Austin, vice president for academic affairs and dean of the College, called McBride “one of the best of the best.” Sharing testimonials from her colleagues, he explained: “She offers a safe, open forum for discussing political, economic, religious, and social structures and their impact on the most vulnerable.” In another testimonial: “She is a teacher who not only recognizes the importance of scholastic achievement, but also understands the power of genuine human relationships.”
Also awarded at the President’s Convocation was the Raymond J. Swords, S.J., Faculty Medal, which honors those members of the faculty who have served the College for 25 years or more. This year’s recipients were: Patricia E. Kramer, associate professor of psychology, Claudia N. Ross, professor of Chinese and chair of modern languages and literatures, and Susan P. Schmidt, associate professor of visual arts.
For additional information, please contact Kristine Maloney at 508-793-2419.