Each year, I make a special award. The Presidential Award for Merit.
I do it in different settings depending on the circumstances and the recipients.
Recent awardees include Paul Hurley, Hilary Appel, Minxin Pei, and many other prominent faculty. Dianna “DT” Graves won the award years ago.
This year’s winner: The Boswell Professor of Economics, former chair of the Robert Day School of Economics and Finance, former director of the Berger Institute, author of dozens of articles placed in the top journals, and winner of the European Association of Labor Economics Prize, and master teacher:
Heather Antecol, Vice President for Academic Affairs and the Dean of the Faculty.
Without even focusing on her vast achievements in her scholarship, center leadership, and department chair experience, when the history of the College is updated, I believe Heather will be known as the most productive dean in the school’s history.
Heather is a powerhouse.
The architect of a long-term hiring strategy, the co-builder of new curricula, faculty development, and research programs, the master recruiter of the top, liberal arts faculty in the world.
Just look at the department of integrated sciences and her success in recruiting.
Just look at our outstanding recent hires in government that have once again elevated that department to greatness.
She is second to none in the combination of her multiple powers:
Her pure smarts in qualitative and quantitative reasoning, her rigorous attention to detail, her courage in facing new challenges and surfacing neglected ones, tireless execution, and simultaneous ability to build community and a great team.
And I am most proud of her previously undiscovered talents in public speaking and the art of the inspired haiku.
She has been a powerful co-pilot on all of our major academic achievements and a constant rock of support and generous friend for me and Priya, and is so deserving of this honor.
Please join me in congratulating Heather on this special award.