MEADVILLE, Pa. – May 4, 2009 – Two members of the Allegheny College faculty received honors for their continued dedication to teaching and higher education at the college’s annual Honors Convocation held on Tuesday, April 28. Robert G. Seddig was awarded the 2009 Julian Ross Award for Excellence in Teaching, and JW P. Heuchert received the 2009 Thoburn Award for Excellence in Teaching.
The Julian Ross Award, established by the Allegheny Alumni Association, is presented annually to a faculty member who, in the opinion of faculty, students and alumni, demonstrates excellence in teaching. The award honors the memory of Julian Ross, a 1923 graduate of Allegheny who served as a professor of English at the college for 43 years and as a dean of instruction from 1949 to 1966.
Seddig, a professor of political science, has been teaching at Allegheny since 1967. He received a B.A. from Carleton College and an M.A. and Ph.D. from Princeton University.
Students and alumni who nominated Seddig for the award noted his ability to engage students through spirited classroom debate and innovative instructional methods, including participation in moot-court cases and legal case briefs.
“Bob fought to teach his classes in a way that would capture his students’ imaginations and get them to think about how to solve problems,” said one Allegheny graduate. “He inspires students to be thinking adults and leaders in whatever they may do.”
Members of the Thoburn family, through the Thoburn Foundation for Education, established the Thoburn Award for Excellence in Teaching in 1994. More than 50 members of the Thoburn family have attended Allegheny, making it the college’s largest family.
A professor of psychology, JW P. Heuchert has taught at Allegheny since 1998. He holds two bachelor’s degrees from the University of Pretoria and a Higher Diploma in Education from the University of the Witwatersrand. He also received a Master of Science degree from Georgia State University and an M.A. and Ph.D. from Boston University.
Students and alumni who nominated Heuchert for the award credited him with creating a supportive and open learning environment.
“He encouraged us to be expressive in our ideas, think outside the box, and apply our knowledge in a variety of ways,” said a former student who is now a licensed psychologist. “His coursework was designed to challenge our understanding of basic terms and his lectures were unique and attracted many students.”
