Sarah Auffret, sauffret@asu.edu
(480) 965-6991
April 11, 2003

Neal Lester named 2003 Professor of the Year by ASU Parents

Neal Lester, English professor at Arizona State University, was named 2003 Professor of the Year by the ASU Parents Association this week. The award is given to the professor who has made an outstanding contribution to teaching as a profession, guiding and inspiring undergraduate students.

Lester receives a cash award of $10,000 and the lifelong designation of Parents Association professor. The Parents Association also provides $10,000 to fund an undergraduate student assistant for the professor for two years.

Finalists for the award, all of whom were honored at an April 8 event and received a $1,000 award, were Barry Leshowitz, psychology professor; Rose Weitz, sociology professor; Douglas Kenrick, psychology professor; and Armando Rodriguez, engineering professor. Twenty-two teachers were nominated. A committee of parents, students and faculty selected the winners.

Lester, who has been teaching at ASU since 1997, has a passion for education combined with an awareness of culture. His efforts to enrich the cultural environment, through lectures, essays and newsletters, have expanded the minds of many, especially his students.

His experiences as an African-American in Arizona have been detailed in his lectures on "Moistening the Desert Landscape." Among other awards, he has been recognized as a Distinguished Public Scholar by the Arizona Humanities Council.

"Dr. Lester is one of the most caring, thought-providing and inspiration educators that I have ever encountered," said student Ben Clark.

"Dr. Lester always took a personal interest in the education of each student," said student Patrick Conti, "whether he was leading the class in heated debates, facilitating small group discussions or encouraging his students to take their learning outside of the classroom."

Journalism Professor George Watson, last year's Professor of the Year, said the award acknowledges the relationship between professors and parents.

"Teachers care for their students; parents care even more for their children," he said. "For the parents to step forward with this professorship is a testament to their concern for the quality of education received by their children. It also represents their commitment to ASU, to promote and recognize quality undergraduate education."