Inspired by her colleagues, A Dean Invests in Faculty
During her tenure at UC Denver’s School of Education & Human Development (SEHD), Dean Lynn Rhodes has worked with many outstanding faculty members. And having seen the extraordinary ideas and contributions they have brought to the school, she wanted to support them in a very direct way.
So she created an endowment to establish the School’s first financial award for faculty. The no-strings-attached grant will provide an annual unrestricted gift to a faculty member with an exceptional track record of teaching, research, or community engagement.
“It is important for deans to say, ‘I appreciate what you do,’” Rhodes says. “And it’s important for faculty to know that their leaders notice their energy and commitment, especially when it goes above and beyond what’s expected. This work takes time, courage, and commitment.”
Rhodes began her academic career at UC Denver in 1978 as an assistant professor. She was the 14th faculty member to join the School—a number that has since grown to 50-plus. Motivated by her own long history on the faculty and inspired by positive faculty leadership, Rhodes’ gift honors the contributions of her colleagues.
“I don’t know why I didn’t do this before,” Rhodes says. “Now that I’ve made this financial commitment to the School, it’s easier to encourage others to give to our faculty and our students. I know how great it feels to leave a legacy like this.”
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