Nelson, Infante named EMU's outstanding full-time lecturers

Sandra Nelson became a teacher after one of her college professors suggested that profession was her future. Cecelia Infante was indoctrinated into the profession as a child, often tagging along with her father, a math professor at Brown University. And her mother's social activism contributed to how she would conduct her classroom.

Although their roads to teaching were different, colleagues and students alike noticed their professional dedication this past year. As a result, the two were recently named recipients of the Fourth Annual Full-Time Lecturers Outstanding Teaching Award.

The award, bestowed by Academic Affairs, requires documentation showing a lecturer's commitment to the education of students and their ability to facilitate student learning from effective teaching.

The two will be honored at a dinner Feb. 15, 5:30-7:30 p.m., at University House. Each will receive a $1,000 honorarium and a plaque.

This is the third consecutive year in which two EMU lecturers (the award was originally intended for one lecturer) won the award. Rick Rogers, a history and philosophy lecturer, earned the honor during its inaugural year.

"It is very humbling," said Nelson, who has been a lecturer at EMU since 2000. "This is exciting, a little overwhelming. I've only been teaching here five years. To have that kind of recognition in that short of time is a real honor.

Infante was just as excited.

"I was dumbfounded and profoundly honored," said Infante, who has been a lecturer of English language and literature at EMU since 2002. "It just feels great. It also reflects the culture of this department. I adore it. I wouldn't want to teach anywhere else."

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