Mentor Statements from Honorees – 2005 through 2010

The exemplary mentors and advisors celebrated here have much to offer all of us. These initial insights and comments are truly just introductions to their lives and the personal "messages" provided through their diverse contributions.

As we all know, "Our actions speak better than words..."

Those honored here are exemplary mentors and advisors, and each has significantly and consistently supported the personal and professional development of others. In a university setting, these efforts will have included students and colleagues; in industry, government, or service organizations, they will have included a variety of developing personnel.

Beginning with the first award in April 2005, the program is designed to celebrate annually those who have enduringly engaged minds, elevated spirits, and stimulated best efforts. It also aspires to help spread the virtues of excellent mentoring and advising in the engineering and applied sciences community – just as these individuals do!

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Prof. Amedeo Odoni , M I T

”The Capers and Marion McDonald Award for Mentoring and Advising addresses a very critical need in today’s academia. Distinguished research universities have made major progress in recent decades toward standardizing and expanding the advisory support and services they provide for their undergraduate students. But there is still much room for improvement when it comes to the mentoring and advising of graduate students and of junior (pre-tenure) members of the faculty. The mentoring and advising of people in these stages of their careers requires a very significant investment of time, effort and thought by the advisors and mentors, as it must be tailored to the particular circumstances of each of the individuals involved. University administrators and department heads sometimes fail to underscore to their senior faculty the importance of engaging seriously in the mentoring and advising process and to give credit for such engagement. Yet, good advising and mentoring is an indispensable complement to a rigorous recruiting and selection process as a means of elevating the quality of graduate degree programs and of academic institutions. Equally important, good advising and mentoring is essential to the well-being and eventual professional fulfillment of people in these early stages of their careers.

”The personal rewards that one derives from being a dedicated advisor and mentor are rich. Some of the happiest recollections of my almost 40 years on the MIT faculty are associated with receiving news of the achievements of many of the students and colleagues I have advised and mentored. There is immense satisfaction in learning that a former advisee has been promoted or named a department head or dean of a school, that someone helped has received a major professional award or that another has been elected a fellow of a professional society or a member of a national academy. The pleasure is even greater when I can recall important breakthrough decisions that these individuals may have made at some point in their careers with some contribution from me. But the occasions I most relish are the ones in which a former student that I have not seen in 10, 15 or 20 years calls or sends a message asking for advice on whether to accept a job offer, make a career change or even get married! Once a mentor and advisor, always a mentor and advisor.

"It was also gratifying to see our new Dean of Engineering [Dr. Subra Suresh] there, who made it despite an extremely busy schedule. His presence clearly reflects the importance that the School of Engineering attaches to advising and mentoring. I thought I would share with you the message that I sent to (then) Dean of Engineering Tom Magnanti...when he informed me that I had won...

'I am very honored to receive the Capers and Marion McDonald Award. Advancing the professional and personal development of students and colleagues through advising and mentoring is (or should be) one of the most important duties of a faculty member. During my 40+ years as a student and then faculty member at MIT, I have been the beneficiary of a great faculty advisor and then informal career mentor, the late Al Drake of the EECS Department. In that time span, I have also seen the School of Engineering make enormous progress in the area of junior faculty mentoring, thanks to the inspired leadership of a succession of Deans and of many Department Heads. But there is no room for complacency, as there is still plenty of room for improvement. Thank you all!'

"I also wish to thank you for the lovely and so thoughtfully designed medal. It will be displayed prominently in my office and its copy in our apartment in Athens..."

Website: http://web.mit.edu/aeroastro/people/odoni.html

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Prof. William Ball, Johns Hopkins University

"I believe that my award stemmed in large part from my work with the Engineers Without Borders students, and I must say that I feel equally much the mentee as the mentor. These students are all volunteers dedicated to making a difference, and I learn from them each day about how hard work and dedication can go a long way toward getting a job done. (I think the old adage is that most jobs require 10% inspiration and 90% perspiration -- these students remind me daily of this.)

From Johns Hopkins Engineering student, and Engineers Without Borders volunteer, Claire Kenney:

”There I was, standing in front of the entire student body of the Zakhe Agricultural College in Kwazulu-Natal, South Africa, watching as a beaded, colorful neck tie was placed around Professor Ball’s neck. I, along with the fellow members of The Johns Hopkins University chapter of Engineers Without Borders (EWB), South Africa team, had been called to the front of the small auditorium/lunchroom to receive the thanks of the students and faculty for our work on our fourth successful trip to the area. Naturally, the principal, Richard Dladla, singled out Professor Ball for his unwavering, earnest dedication to serving the surrounding communities though sustainable engineering projects as faculty advisor to EBW-JHU. Richard Dladla went on to mention how Professor Ball, in a moment of anxiety, once asked if they had made a difference in the communities. Richard Dladla spread his arms, looked around, then looked back at Professor Ball and said, 'We are all here because of you. We are proof you have made a difference.' Professor Ball was then presented with the beaded tie. Now a light shade of pink, Professor Ball looked down at his shoes slightly sheepishly, but with a wide smile on his face.

"As I looked at Professor Ball, I thought of how fitting that remark was. Richard Dladla was likely referring to the students, faculty, and staff’s involvement in our projects and the communities, thanks to Professor Balls’ untold efforts. However, I knew that that remark was also true in reference to the difference he has made to every member of the EWB-JHU team. His endless negotiating, advising, networking, organizing, encouraging, instructing, efforts have inspired, motivated, and activated us to install two ram-pumps during each of the past two summers and another one during this past Intersession trip. These pumps are serving to irrigate gardens that support orphans in the area.

"On a more personal level, though, he has been a mentor to all of us. We are all students who want to use their knowledge and skills to help those who need it, in lasting ways. He has helped us realize how we can do that, and not just as students, but as life-long, responsible members of the world. His mentoring has led to several different student research projects concerning the functioning and impact of the pumps. At his encouragement, students have applied for and been awarded grants and scholarships toward endeavors including and beyond our EWB projects. All under the guidance and direction of Professor Ball, our members have taken leadership positions, have aggressively fundraised, have dedicated their sparse spare time to making our projects possible. What’s more, he has reached out to each of us, encouraging future engineers, non-engineers, freshmen, graduate students, old members, new members alike, and made us feel part of the effort and want to do more for it. Standing in front of the Zakhe Agricultural School and watching Professor Ball’s gracious modesty made me gain an inkling of how many people he has brought together and how many people have benefited from his dedication, perseverance, and guidance. Furthermore, considering that he does all this as a willing volunteer on top of all his teaching and research duties, is compelling to me. It made me realize that I have the capability and therefore the responsibility to continue to help others throughout my life, even if it is already busy and full with other endeavors. He has inspired both those in South Africa and at JHU to join his efforts to make the impossible possible and become a reality. So, given the extent and scale of his impact as a mentor, I ardently advocate Professor William Ball’s nomination to the Excellence in Mentoring Awards.”

Website: http://engineering.jhu.edu/~dogee/g/?id=101

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Prof. George Truskey, Duke University

"The most important parts of mentoring are that you are actively interested in your students and their future, you listen to them and treat them as partners in scholarship and education, and you provide them opportunities to grow as students and individuals.

"Although I am a department chair, I always make time to meet with students in my class or my lab. I let them explain their problems or plans and ask them to explain their reasoning. My goal is to be sure that they explore various options so that they can develop a suitable solution. Sometimes this takes time, so I always encourage them.

"I also provide student with opportunities to grow, whether that is a chance to give a lecture, or present their work at a conference, know about a position opening or provide a reference."

These are some of the nominating statements from the letter Prof. Truskey's graduate students submitted:

“We have been continually impressed with Dr. Truskey’s dedication to the academic, professional, and personal development of each of his students. His involvement in numerous dissertation committees, both as chair and as a member, shows not only that he himself believes in serving as a mentor, but also that students turn to him for solid counsel. As chair of the largest engineering department at Duke, Dr. Truskey takes on the responsibility of listening to upper administration, faculty, and students."

"Dr. Truskey is approachable and known for his ‘open-door’ policy, which has not wavered despite his many responsibilities. ...The consistent, open line of communication has created a supportive environment for research and scholarship. Furthermore, Dr. Truskey provides his students with collaborative opportunities, within the institution and outside at national conferences. He is interested not only in the immediate aims, but also in our future careers and gives us tools to reach those goals.

"It takes someone with great discipline and solid character to always ‘do the right thing,’ a phrase that has been used to describe Dr. Truskey numerous times. We believe that, ultimately, he upholds the best interests of Duke, the graduate school, the Pratt School of Engineering, the Biomedical Engineering Department, and each of its students.”

Website: http://www.bme.duke.edu/faculty/truskey/index.php

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Dr. Carter Kerk, South Dakota School of Mines and Technology

”I have had the good fortune to have received excellent mentoring during my career. Thinking back and pondering what made my mentors effective and special for me, I believe it was that they took time out of their busy schedules and took an interest in helping. They treated me as an adult and helped me feel good about myself and my career. It started with my parents, Rosalee and Willard Kerk. A significant early mentor was Don Criswell, a farmer I worked for during my teens. I had many great high school teachers, but the most notable mentors were Jim Curtiss, Gary Spear, Dennis Van Winkle, Joyce Jessen and Ed Miller. Again, I had many great college professors, but the most memorable mentors were Michael Riley and David Cochran from the University of Nebraska and Don Chaffin from the University of Michigan.

”Over my years as a professor, I have had the privilege to serve as an academic advisor for scores of undergraduate and graduate students. This has been a great pleasure for me. After doing this for several years, I discovered that my approach to academic advising was really mentoring. An academic advisor helps a student select courses. A mentor takes a more holistic approach to the development of the student. Of course, every student is different, but I find an effective session takes about 20-30 minutes. In addition to scheduling courses, I ask the student to tell me a little about how they are progressing in current classes. I ask them to tell me a little bit about how their life is going with school, family, work and career. Often, these discussions lead to ideas for self-improvement or career development, such as trying new study habits, getting more involved in a professional society, or searching for a summer internship. And the process doesn’t end at graduation. Many of our graduates stay in touch and seek advice and mentoring support as their careers develop.”

The following are two quotes from Prof. Kerk’s nomination package for the Tau Beta Pi McDonald Mentoring Award:

”Dr. Kerk helped me transition from being an EE student to an IE student. He helped me set up my schedule for the following two years in one afternoon, and made it possible for me to switch majors and still graduate in four years. He is always willing to drop everything if any one of his students needs assistance, and makes each student feel important. Students from other majors enjoy taking his classes because he makes each topic interesting and helps students apply the principles to real world applications through various community projects. Dr. Kerk is an excellent teacher and mentor and SDSMT is fortunate to have him.” – Roy Gullickson, Industrial Engineering Senior, graduated in May 2006 and went to work for Rockwell Collins, Inc.

“Dr. Kerk is not my academic advisor, but I have seen him every semester to ensure that I am on track to graduate. I also stop by numerous times each month to seek Dr. Kerk’s advice and counsel. He was instrumental in my decision and acceptance into the PhD program at the University of Arkansas. I spoke with him extensively about my after-graduation plans and he graciously offered me access to his plethora of contacts within the Industrial Engineering community. Dr. Kerk puts his home phone number on class syllabi and actually encourages students to call him at home if they are having trouble in a class or need help making a crucial decision in their lives. I have also had the opportunity to work with him as an advisor to our local Institute of Industrial Engineers chapter. He is constantly looking out for our local chapter and serves as a mentor to all members. Dr. Kerk opens up his home to host officer transition meetings twice a year and he is always supportive of IIE activities.” – Jen Pazour, Industrial Engineering Senior, graduated in May 2006 and immediately began a Ph.D. program at the University of Arkansas.

Website: http://www.hpcnet.org/sdsmt/directory/personnel/ckerk

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Dr. Todd Hufnagel, Johns Hopkins University

"Fundamentally, mentoring involves helping students or others find in themselves what they need to succeed. But students, particularly younger ones, sometimes have not fully thought through what they want to achieve or what it means to be 'successful.'

"So early on in any mentoring relationship, I try to encourage the student to be introspective – to try to achieve some insight into his or her own emotions and values. The idea is to help the student fashion a definition of success that works for him or her, something that will ultimately lead to a happy and fulfilling life.

"One example of this in my own experience was a student who I could tell was fundamentally very bright but was struggling in his engineering classes. In the course of many conversations, it came out that in studying engineering he was trying to live up to the expectations of his parents. But in doing so he was making himself miserable because he really didn't enjoy the work. He struggled for quite a while before coming to the realization that, for him, to be successful meant finding fulfillment through working with children. Ultimately, he decided to drop out of Johns Hopkins and enroll in a different college to pursue a teaching career. The last time I saw him, he was much happier than I had ever seen him previously. I can't take any credit for the hard, emotional work involved – he did all of that for himself. But I like to think that my small role, in encouraging him to be introspective and find the courage to change his career path, was significant."

Website: http://www.jhu.edu/~matsci/people/faculty/hufnagel/hufnagel.html

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Associate Dean Linda Franzoni, Duke University

”I believe that every successful person, no matter what area they work in, can point to at least one person in their life who has supported, influenced, helped or encouraged them along the way. As social human beings, we rely on each other in a variety of ways both large and small.

”When I think back on my own life, professionally and personally, I can identify a handful of individuals who have been that support person or mentor for me. What I have appreciated in my own mentors is their ability to relate to me, to relate to what was going on in my life, and to appreciate my experiences, knowledge, or lack thereof, at crucial moments in my life.

”When I reflect on the mentors in my life, the one who stands out foremost in my mind is from my undergraduate years. This professor did not laugh at my crazy ideas; instead he encouraged me to pursue them. At my graduation he told me if I ever needed a reference to contact him no matter where I was, and to my surprise, he told my parents about a project that I had done my freshmen year. Without this professor’s assistance, I would not have gotten my first job in engineering. In all my professional endeavors – as an engineer for NASA, a graduate student, or a faculty member – I have had co-workers, bosses, faculty advisors, colleagues, friends, and family members who have encouraged, supported, and helped me through various aspects of my life and my job. Of all those people who have touched my life, that special undergraduate professor who remembered my freshmen windmill project and helped jump-start my career has had the most lasting effect of all.

”As a college professor, I now think of how my own life was influenced by the professors that I have had and I take that responsibility very seriously. I feel privileged to be in a position that can have an effect on the life of a young person. I know that for some students it is the example that I set that will make a difference for them, whereas for other students it could be a conversation or simply just taking the time to show I care. I hope that some day one of my former students will be able to look back on their undergraduate or graduate school days and say that I was that special professor that had a profound impact on their life.”

Website: http://fds.duke.edu/db/pratt/mems/faculty/franzoni

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Prof. Tom Sheahan, Northeastern University

”A good mentor is a good listener and has to be a bit of an amateur psychologist in some ways. You have to listen to what the mentee is saying about how they are thinking about a problem, whether that is realistic, and whether there are alternatives that s/he hasn’t thought about.

”Mentoring seems to run across a range of extremes. At one end (and this is strictly my personal style, and obviously doesn’t apply to all mentors) is the in your face, challenging, let’s get real, approach. At the other end, mentoring can consist of just going about your daily work, with mentees observing you and modeling parts of their behavior on what you are doing. So, there are mentors out there who don’t even know they’re mentoring, simply by being a role model or example.

”Most students enter engineering studies without any concept of what it entails. They’re told that they’re good in math and science, so that’s the path they ‘should’ pursue. However, as for many professions, there’s a sense that engineering is a club that students are trying to join, leading many to insecurities about their aptitude and ability to ‘fit in.’ In addition, many are uncertain about how to make the best decisions in their studies and career path. In both of these areas, aptitude-fit and decision making, I see mentoring as very important.

” This doesn’t end when engineers complete their undergraduate programs. Both students and professionals need and often want a connection – who is out there who will anchor me, provide some advice, give me some ‘what if’ scenarios, brainstorm with me about alternatives, care about what I’m thinking and considering? They don’t want to be placated or pacified, necessarily – they may be getting enough of that from their parents and friends. Mentoring may include ‘getting real,’ challenging students and young professionals to be better, to take the next step, to push beyond boundaries defined by their insecurities, etc.

”For some, the mentoring they need may be helping them to get grounded – examine their strengths and weaknesses, whether their expectations are realistic. Some students are not very realistic about their abilities and the world they’re studying or working in, and may start to make decisions about their future based on some very unrealistic assumptions. This isn’t about dragging them down; in engineering-speak, it’s about getting them to be good problem solvers based on realistic input.

Some inspirational, motivating outcomes that I have enjoyed include the following:

”An undergraduate student in Tau Beta Pi who became a Naval officer, then went on to law school. He wrote to me after almost 10 years to thank me for being a role model; he had joined the Navy based on my experiences.

”Another undergraduate student who struggled academically and socially. Repeatedly discussed leaving the program. Graduated and is now a project engineer for Turner Construction.

”A very shy, quiet student who has struggled, partly due to a learning disability. He is now thinking about grad school, but has usually been miserable in school. However, during co-op work periods, he excels in engineering intern jobs. I’m currently advising him to work for a while, gain some confidence, learn more about how he learns best before returning to try to learn more. I challenged him to think about the following: does he really need a grad degree to pursue his path (which is undefined)?

”Student at graduation time, introducing me to his/her parents. The student said, ‘I wouldn’t have graduated without your help,’ and I never even knew that I done anything extraordinary for this student.

My own mentors have had very positive impacts:

”Like most good mentors, most of my memorable mentors probably didn’t even know they had that role in my life. I observed how they conducted themselves, how they approached their work, how it differed from the way I was doing things, and what I could adopt that would make me do better at work and in life. I was fortunate to have two parents who were really good mentors – they certainly taught me to have a positive attitude toward work, to love what I do, to be challenged, and to value those I work with, particularly those working for me or in roles that are often unappreciated (the janitor of the building, the admin assistant, etc.). The other mentors that stand out are my graduate advisors, both of whom pushed me to go to the next level, to take on problems that seemed beyond my abilities, and to pay attention to details. Now, I have a mentor, but again, I’m sure that he doesn’t know he serves in that role – he’s my co-advisor of a student group and also our department co-op coordinator. He is tremendously helpful in my interactions as department chair, where the issues are political and administrative, and often personality-driven.”

Website: http://www1.coe.neu.edu/~tsheahan/index.htm

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Dr. Mike Gustafson, Duke University

The following are excerpts from remaks by Pratt School of Engineering Associate Dean Linda Franzoni on April 23, 2005, when introducing Dr. Gustafson to receive the first McDonald Mentoring Award at any institution:

"Last year when I solicited nominations from the students for the one and only faculty award that recognized undergraduate teaching – I got flooded with emails nominating a professor that the students refer to as 'Dr G.' Interestingly, these emails did not come from any one department – or any particular class – they were from Freshmen, Sophomores, Juniors and Seniors – and from all four departments.

"This year, I again solicited nominations from the undergraduate students for our faculty awards, but instead of asking students to name their most outstanding teacher, I also had the opportunity to add mentoring to the list. Once again, the nominations poured in for 'Dr. G' – both for teaching and for mentoring. I gathered a group of student leaders together after receiving the email nominations... The discussion went something like this: 'Let us recommend to Dean Johnson that she award one of the teaching awards to Dr. G. – NO – he is more than an excellent teacher – he really is a mentor… He is ALWAYS there for students – whether or NOT you are in his class – in fact, whether or NOT you have EVER had him in a class! He goes to all of our events – from academic honor society inductions and presentations to intramural sporting events to E-Socials and fraternity functions. If he is invited, he’s there!'

"Here are some of the things that individual students had to say about 'Dr. G':

'Besides his well organized lectures, he made himself available for any problems that I had – from scheduling to personal. It was great to experience one of the best Duke has to offer right off the bat. He taught me that professors are not distant figures who merely lecture and run back to their offices, but people who really want to interact with their students, who care and want to get to know them.'

"From another student: 'He is readily accessible, providing both his school and home AIM screen names, which means almost all times of the day we could contact him instantaneously… He is just a great guy.' And from another: 'He is always enthusiastic about both academics and extracurriculars, and his true care for his students really shines through all the time…All the students that I know LOVE Dr. G!'

"A common theme throughout all of this was his concern for students. For example, 'Throughout my four years he has been a consistent academic resource for me. He is almost always reachable whether through email, instant messenger, or phone, and each year he invites students to his house for Easter dinner. Dr. Gustafson has significantly helped me through my Duke career and I hope he can be recognized for his mentoring excellence.'

"This one was interesting: 'Dr. G – Who else can teach us technical engineering material, how to make excellent presentations, and the difference between a Pinot Noir and a Merlot' (referring of course to the House Course on Wine tasting that Gus teaches in his “spare time”).

"A wise Duke student wrote: 'From his sense of humor to his enthusiasm and devotion to his students (in and out of the class), beyond what can ever be expected of him, Dr. G has done a brilliant job. Dr. G. encourages students to come to him with any problems – related to coursework or otherwise. Furthermore, Dr. G. makes every attempt to connect to the Pratt student body, both on an intellectual level and on a social level; a mentor and a friend, if you will. Whether it is his Duke background that allows him to be so close to his students, or a gift he acquired somewhere down the road, the Pratt faculty and student body are privileged to have him in our company.'"

Website for Dr. Gustafson: http://www.ece.duke.edu/fds/pratt/ECE/faculty/mrg

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Dr. Gabor Fitchtinger, Johns Hopkins University

Ameet K. Jain, Ph.D., a former doctoral student of Dr. Fichtinger’s and in 2008 with Philips Research, contributed the following ideas:

”Under Gabor's mentorship, I went from being a student who nobody thought was capable of doing a PhD to someone who has been able to do well in a short period of time. Today I feel I have become a fully independent researcher. And I owe this all to my advisor who had faith in me and decided to guide me through my years at Hopkins.

”So as to bring some uniqueness in perspectives, I have researched some Indian philosophies on the teacher. Though these values are universal, I think they might add value to your website – in fact reiterating the very universal nature and importance of the teacher across cultures and history. They have been an inspiration to me throughout my life, and might potentially become so for others.

”In the links below, it is critical to interpret 'teacher' a bit liberally. …In the Eastern tradition, the teacher-disciple relationship can be considered as the most significant.

”Wikipedia has a good overview and well-organised collection of ideas about what a Guru (teacher) might and might not mean. [An] excerpt: 'In Indian culture, a person without a guru or a teacher was once looked down on as an orphan or unfortunate one.’

The book, “Guru Dharma (approximately, 'the path of and from the teacher'), provides another general perspective on the importance of the teacher in traditional Indian philosophy (pages 86-88):

‘Guru is like the creator… He is the one who creates the qualities of shishya (student) in me. …In today’s city life, it is very difficult to find such a guru and also to find such a shishya. Any sadhaka who is very much interested to find the guru also should know the following:

‘Guru is one who initiates the shishya to ask questions. This question-answer session inculcates the habit of finding the true reason of doing a particular thing and also keeps the shishya from blindly following the path without asking questions. This is important as in the Vedic tradition lots of things which were done had some scientific meaning and were not just done for the sake of doing. This also helps the Guru to judge the development of the student.

’Guru is one who does not exploit the shishya for personal gains but gives the shishya some of his energy for the spiritual development of the shishya. Guru is not one who preaches austerity and lives in luxury. …The true Guru is one who is above ego, pride and sentiments, when he gives shaktipata to a shishya he only thinks of himself as a medium, and this also happens only at a time when the shishya as well as the guru are ready…

’Shishya should experiment and find new things so that he is able to gain sufficient knowledge to guide others.’

Website for Dr. Fichtinger: http://research.cs.queensu.ca/~gabor/

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Prof. Samuel Allen, M I T

From MIT School of Engineering Dean Subra Suresh:

”One of the great pleasures of being dean is having an opportunity to honor the contributions of dedicated faculty – but having an opportunity to award the Capers and Marion McDonald prize to Sam [Allen] is additionally meaningful to me. Sam has been a member of my own, home department – Materials Science and Engineering – for more than 30 years. I have had the distinct pleasure of working closely with Sam during my tenure as head of that department.

”During his 30 years at MIT, Sam has served not only as a teacher and researcher, but also as a skilled advisor of undergraduates, graduate students and junior faculty; an MIT-certified mediator, trained in helping members of the department and Institute community resolve conflicts amicably; and an central participant in numerous Institute committees dealing with academic programs, outreach, and activities beyond the formal classroom. He was among the first MIT faculty members to participate in freshman advising and has served the longest in this capacity.

”Not surprisingly, the letters of endorsement for Sam's nomination ranged across the entire academic spectrum, from members of the Class of 2011, to former students and colleagues who are now in leadership positions both in the United States and abroad. We are delighted to have the Capers and Marion McDonald Award as a means of honoring him.”

Website: http://dmse.mit.edu/faculty/faculty/smallen/

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Prof. Steven Cramer, University of Wisconsin – Madison

”I was surprised when I learned I had been awarded the 2008 Tau Beta Pi McDonald Mentor Award. I did not believe that awards were given for such things, and certainly there must be many other mentors at least equally deserving helping others.

”Because education is inherently a people business, mentoring is a professional obligation, and thus development of people in various forms is inherent to the business. But in the long list of professional obligations, mentoring often falls lower on the list. The best mentoring occurs not out of professional obligation but more from personal philosophy and a simple interest in the lives of others.

”Life presents to all of us dilemmas and decisions for which no handbook has been prepared and no class ever taken. The comfort of having someone listen to our challenges helps clarify our own thoughts, and the guidance of another perspective often compensates for our own blind spots.

”Mentoring helps separate our human condition from the bureaucracy of our lives. Mentoring requires patience and empathy. It cannot occur on a schedule and sometimes the response must be prompt.”

The Tau Beta Pi award committee contributed the following accolades:

"Dr. Cramer’s work on campus, both job-related and volunteer, and his respect and support of students, the university, and fellow faculty embodies the ideal of professor as mentor. ...An excellent teacher and advisor, Dr. Cramer was cited by students and peers for his years of consistently positive interactions with students and for his work to encourage them to reach their full potential, all of which have established him as an invigorating role model for students, faculty and advisory peers.

"Tributes have been paid to Dr. Cramer’s merits as a teacher, mentor, coach, and role model for students. He is actively involved in the UW-Madison chapter of ASCE and has been advisor to both the concrete canoe and steel bridge teams for more than 10 years. In 2007, the canoe team won its fifth straight national title, and no other school in the 30-year history of the competition has won more than two consecutive national titles. His leadership has been praised for being available to help the students when needed without micro-managing the teams. The mature and gracious attitudes of the winning team members is further testament to his unique capabilities as a mentor. The success has created a positive esprit de corps among students, and has also boosted student interest in engineering and the department. A colleague who has observed hundreds of mentors in similar milieus feels that Dr. Cramer 'stands head and shoulders above the rest.'

"Dr. Cramer has taken part in diversity initiatives like the school of education’s College for Kids, the Minority Research Apprentice Program, and the graduate school’s Summer Undergraduate Research Experience.

"Dr. Cramer’s students rank his teaching, via student evaluations, as among the best in the department. His classes have a reputation for being technically demanding. His dean describes him as a very gifted teacher who creates a culture of high expectations and high support to help all students succeed. He is a fellow of the UW-Madison Teaching Academy and has received the outstanding professor award from the ASCE student chapter nine times."

Website: http://www.engr.wisc.edu/cee/faculty/cramer_steven.html

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PAGE IMAGES:

Top Row: (L) Award program medallion, obverse. (C1) Night view of Great Dome at MIT. (C2) Gilman Hall and Keyser Quadrangle at Johns Hopkins University at night. (C3) Evening view of entrance to Hudson Hall, "Old Red," original Engineering building at Duke University. (R) Tau Beta Pi logo on lapel pin.

Sidebar: PROF. ODONI: (1) MIT 2007 honoree Prof. Amedeo Odoni. (2) MIT Seal. (3) Interior of entrance from 77 Massachusetts Avenue at MIT. (4) MIT medal with red and gray ribbon. PROF. BALL: (1) Johns Hopkins University 2008 honoree Prof. William Ball. (2) Prof. Bill Ball "pointing the way" for Engineering Without Borders (EWB) Johns Hopkins students Valerie Caldas and Graham Belton in South Africa. (3) Prof. Ball and EWB participants laying pipe for a pump with two of the high school students from Zakhe Agricultural College and Valerie Caldas, the EWB-JHU team leader for the January 2008 South Africa project. (4) Johns Hopkins medal with blue neck ribbon. PROF. TRUSKEY: (1) Duke University 2007 awardee, Biomedical Engineering Department Chair Prof. George Truskey. (2) Duke University Pratt School of Engineering logo. (3) Duke University award medallion and all-white ribbon. DR. KERK: (1) Tau Beta Pi 2006 Honoree, Dr. Carter Kerk of South Dakota School of Mines and Technology. (2) The "Bent" of Tau Beta Pi, U. S. engineering honor society. (3) Logo of the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology. (4) Tau Beta Pi medal with brown and white ribbon. DR. HUFNAGEL: (1) Johns Hopkins University 2005 honoree Dr. Todd Hufnagel. (2) Johns Hopkins University medallion and "Hopkins Blue" neck ribbon. DR. FRANZONI: (1) Duke 2006 honoree Associate Dean Linda Franzoni. (2) Dr. Linda Franzoni, Duke awardee in 2006, with 2005 "first honoree" Dr. Mike Gustafson and Capers McDonald. (3) Duke University medal and all-white neck ribbon. PROF. SHEAHAN: (1) Tau Beta Pi 2007 awardee Prof. Thomas Sheahan. (2) Tau Beta Pi logo. (3) Northeastern University logo. (4) Tau Beta Pi 2007 honoree, Prof. Tomas Sheahan, with association president, Prof. Larry Simonson. (5) Prof. Thomas Sheahan, 2007 Tau Beta Pi honoree from Northeastern University. (6) Full view of Tau Beta Pi medal and ribbon. DR. GUSTAFSON: (1) Duke 2005 honoree Dr. Michael Gustafson. (2) Dr. Gustafson with the McDonalds at annual school-wide ceremonies. (3) Dr. Gustafson with Dr. Linda Franzoni, Duke awardee in 2006, and Capers McDonald. (4) "Dr. G.," first recipient of the McDonald Mentoring Award on April 23, 2005. (5) Duke University medal and all-white neck ribbon. DR. FICHTINGER: (1) Johns Hopkins University 2006 awardee Dr. Gabor Fichtinger. (2) Gilman Hall at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Maryland. (3) Johns Hopkins University seal. (4) Johns Hopkins University medal and "Hopkins Blue" neck ribbon. PROF. ALLEN: (1) MIT 2008 honoree Prof. Samuel Allen. (2) MIT medal with red and gray neck ribbon. PROF. CRAMER: (1) Tau Beta Pi 2008 honoree Associate Dean and Prof. Steven Cramer. (2) A membership certificate of Tau Beta Pi, U. S. engineering honor society. (3) The University of Wisconsin - Madison logo. (4) Full view of Tau Beat Pi medal with brown and white neck ribbon. PLAQUES: (1) MIT Perpetual Recognition Plaque, located in the Engineering Dean's faculty meeting room. (2) Duke University Perpetual Recognition Plaque, located in the entrance hallway of Hudson Hall, "Old Red." AWARD MEDALLION: (1) Full view of ASME medal and ribbon.

This Web site and all images it contains are being used for limited and noncommercial purposes, principally teaching and personal mentorship. Several ASME images © 2007 ASME International; several Duke images © 2006, 2007 Duke University; several Harvard images © 2007, 2008 The President and Fellows of Harvard College; several Johns Hopkins images © 2005-2008 The Johns Hopkins University; several MIT images © 2006, 2007 Massachusetts Institute of Technology; several Northeastern images © 2007 Northeastern University; several SDSM&T images © 2006-2008 SDSM&T; and several Tau Beta Pi images © 2006, 2007 The Tau Beta Pi Association, Inc. McDonald Mentoring Award medallion art © 2005 Capers W. McDonald.

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