Faculty Members Honoured for their Contribution to St. Thomas University
St. Thomas University will honour four faculty members at Spring Convocation for their professional achievement and impact on the university. Dr. Monika Stelzl and Dr. Janet Durkee-Lloyd will receive teaching awards, Dr. Christian Mbarga will receive a scholarship award, and Dr. Patrick Malcolmson will receive the designation Professor Emeritus.
“The commitment of these faculty members to their work, teaching, research and scholarship is outstanding and contributes to our reputation for educating strong critical thinkers and being a place for innovative scholarship,” said Dawn Russell, St. Thomas University President and Vice Chancellor.
“The impact that these scholars have on our students and society is significant, and we are proud to honour them.”
Monika Stelzl – John McKendy Memorial Teaching Award
Dr. Monika Stelzl will be honoured for her success in developing students into active learners who critically evaluate knowledge and engage in the process of lifelong learning. Since joining the Department of Psychology in 2006, Dr. Stelzl has developed and taught many courses relating to her research on human sexuality. Her students describe her courses as complex and intellectually stimulating and delivered in a well-explained and thoughtful manner.
In her mentorship of honours students, Dr. Stelzl strives to help them develop into competent, respectful, and independent scholars. She regularly invites them to collaborate on research projects to further their education and offer them opportunities and credentials. In 2018, she co-authored a peer-reviewed journal article with two students titled A narrow view: The conceptualization of sexual problems in human sexuality textbooks.
Dr. Christian Mbarga – University Scholarship Award
Dr. Christian Mbarga, a member of STU’s Department of Romance Languages, is known internationally for his research. In 2012, he began multi-disciplinary research on the history of the Beti peoples of Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, and the Congo through a postcolonial perspective. He has made multiple trips to Cameroon to interview elders and has transcribed more than 50 hours of interviews. He hopes his research will create a reliable record of a culture whose elders are the primary and last knowledge holders.
Three books on Dr. Mbarga’s research, described as an outstanding contribution to Francophone Postcolonial Studies, were recently launched at STU with additional launches in Paris, Cameroon, and Côte d’Ivoire in scheduled in the coming months.
Dr. Janet Durkee-Lloyd – Award for Excellence in Part-Time Teaching
Dr. Janet Durkee-Lloyd, a member of the Department of Gerontology, is being recognized for her ability to equip students with the skills they need to succeed, whether it is the basic skills a first-year student carries through their degree or the practical skills a Gerontology major carries into the workplace.
Her students report that time spent in her classes gave them a competitive edge in their applications to graduate schools or the workplace. In 2018, a former student of Dr. Durkee-Lloyd’s received $100,000 for a research project that began in her Health and Aging course. Her students are inspired by her passion for teaching gerontology and her confidence in them.
Dr. Patrick Malcolmson – Professor Emeritus
St. Thomas University awards a special rank for professors who have demonstrated great distinction for exceptional teaching, high-quality research, and a creative contribution to the development of the university. The rank of Professor Emeritus has been awarded to only 11 other professors in St. Thomas history and at Spring Convocation Dr. Patrick Malcolmson will become the twelfth to earn this recognition.
Over three decades at STU, Dr. Patrick Malcolmson was twice Vice-President (Academic), chaired the Department of Political Science and served many other departments and committees. He has lectured at Oxford and at universities throughout North America. He has also presented to senior civil servants on parliamentary government and to the Governor General and ten provincial Lieutenant-Governors about the role of the Crown in responsible government. He is also the only individual to earn all of St. Thomas University’s awards for teaching, research, and service.