By Michael Huang
Associate News Editor
The University bestowed its highest honors for teaching upon three professors - Cherryl A. Wall, Deborah Gray White and William S. Barnett - Friday at Winants Hall on the College Avenue campus.
Each professor received a separate Board of Governors Professor award that signified their dedication to their work and commitment to the University.
"It's the highest honor the University can bestow on any faculty to recognize their outstanding achievements," said Ziva Galili, acting executive dean of the School of Arts and Sciences.
Each professor has contributed to the academic community through his or her research and studies at the University.
"When I came into the profession, there weren't such formalized studies to African American life, and I've participated in bringing this into the mainstream," said Cheryl A. Wall, who was named the Board of Governors professor of English.
Wall contributes to the field of African-American literature, focusing on the Harlem renaissance and black women, she said.
"Cheryl Wall is one of the very few faculty members who have received an award in every aspect of the University," Galili said.
Wall attributed the success of her research to the intelligence of her students.
"I think my students have both enabled and enriched my life because so many of my topics have come out of the classroom," she said. Wall is not the only honored professor that has helped to advance the field of African American studies.
White, who was awarded the Board of Governors professor of History award, together with her graduate students has helped to rewrite history for Black-American women, Galili said.
White is the author of several books, mostly about the black experience in America. Her book "Ar'n't I a Woman: Female Slaves in the Plantation South," was awarded the Letitia Brown Memorial Book Prize by the Association of Black Women Historians, according to a prepared statement from the University.
Barnett, who was named Board of Governors professor of education, is nationally recognized for his studies on education and economics.
"His work has shown that our investments in the young pay many, many dividends," said Richard De Lisi, dean of the Graduate School of Education.
Barnett's research includes a study showing economic impacts of children in preschool, Barnett said.
Barnett's work has helped to shape public education preschool programs, according to the statement.
Also at the meeting, Keith Andrew Wailoo was named the Martin Luther King Professor of History. Wailoo, who directs the Center for Race and Ethnicity, is also affiliated with the Institute for Health, Health Care Policy and Aging Research.
"It is rare for any faculty member to have such an impact in so many areas of education in such a short time," Galili said.
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