Photo: Madeline Kauffman
Two Elizabethtown College professors recently received awards for their teaching and commitment to student success.
Professor of political science Dr. E. Fletcher McClellan received the Craig L. Brians Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Research and Mentorship from the education section of the American Political Science Association (APSA).
According to the APSA website, the award is given to a faculty member who shows exceptional dedication to and skill in teaching and mentoring students inside and outside the classroom. The annual award is presented at a conference over Labor Day Weekend; this year was the first in a long time McClellan could not attend. McClellan learned he won the award when it came in the mail.
“Obviously they kept it a secret because no one told me before or after,” McClellan said with a chuckle. “I guess I don’t have many friends in the section.”
Senior legal studies major Cassandra Hoben described McClellan as “quirky, reliable, accessible and awesome.” Hoben enjoys McClellan’s classes and is currently taking her senior seminar, which McClellan oversees.
“He’s so dry but that’s the exact kind of personality I flow with,” Hoben said. “He makes boring material captivating.”
In addition to teaching classes, McClellan works with other faculty to mentor students’ larger projects and decide which students present at Scholarship and Creative Arts Day (SCAD) and larger, off-campus conferences, which he said are “fun, and in a relaxed, constructive setting.” Hoben remembers visiting the White House for the first time on a trip to Washington, D.C. with McClellan and her classmates.
Looking to the future, McClellan said the award creates a bit of pressure to “keep up the good work,” since this year he is overseeing 13 senior seminar students. Still, he said it is amazing, gratifying and humbling to be recognized for his teaching work at this point in his career.
“I’m expecting a call from [Jimmy] Kimmel any time,” he said with a laugh.
Additionally, Saturday, Oct. 20, associate professor of entrepreneurship and management Dr. Petru Sandu received the annual Honors Program Outstanding Teacher Award at a reception in the Mineral Gallery.
“I found out when [Dean for Curriculum and Honors Dr. Brian] Newsome called and said he had wonderful news,” Sandu said. “I thought, ‘What could that be?’”
Sandu said the award was a pleasant surprise and that he enjoyed the ceremony, in which Newsome and junior business administration major Amber Swanick presented him with the award.
Swanick is Sandu’s student assistant. She called Sandu “a very busy individual” and her “favorite professor.” Two of Sandu’s classes, Entrepreneurship and The Family as Entrepreneur, are offered as stacked courses in the Honors Program.
“I am very thankful he is offering it as an Honors stacked course,” Swanick said in an email. “Without it, I probably would not be able to fulfill the Honors requirements.”
According to Sandu, students from seven different majors are taking classes in family business and entrepreneurship.
“The program’s mission is not to create entrepreneurs, per se, but to encourage an entrepreneurial mindset across campus,” Sandu said, pointing to a brochure for the program.
He mentioned alumnus Niko Antonellos ’13, who is the founder of Sidekicks, a company that provides support to people with disabilities and their families. Antonellos started Sidekicks as a senior at Etown.
“Seeing students succeed like that keeps my drive up and keeps me ticking,” Sandu said.
Swanick said Sandu always has something related to family business and entrepreneurship going on; she mentioned the new Family Business and Entrepreneurship club, which is open to all students and meets once a month.
“We would love to hear every crazy, inventive, innovative idea students have from every major,” Swanick said. “Everyone has the potential to be an entrepreneur.”
Both McClellan and Sandu said their awards are humbling. McClellan spent a long time on the administrative side of the College and returned to teaching within the last few years. Sandu said his award is motivating because a little discontent can be helpful to professors by encouraging them to improve everything from class content to their teaching style.
“Entrepreneurship could help you find the path of your heart, and help you do in life what you want to do,” Sandu said.
