White + West Win Fraziers

Faculty and students have selected Damian White, associate professor of HPSS, and Anne West, a senior lecturer in Graduate Studies, for RISD’s top academic honor: the 2012 Frazier Award for Excellence in Teaching (named in memory of John R. Frazier, who graduated from RISD exactly 100 years ago and was president from 1955–62).

As a sociologist who has taught at RISD since 2008, Damian was cited as “highly respected for tailoring [his] teaching style to meet the needs of RISD students” and for offering fascinating courses that are “fun, challenging, inspiring and full of laughter.”

Since 1996 Anne West has been guiding graduate students through the process of thesis writing. She’s known for courses and workshops that students call “incredible,” “thought-provoking” and “the best class possible – ever.” And she’s also written an amazing new book called Mapping the Intelligence of Artistic Work.

Foundation Studies faculty member Alba Corrado 60 PT hand-lettered the ornate citations presented to faculty honorees (along with the names on each degree given to students) at last Saturday’s Commencement ceremony.

Congratulations to this year’s Frazier Award recipients – two of RISD’s finest!