History professor receives Liberal Arts and Sciences Teacher of the Year Award

NEW PALTZ — Andrew D. Evans, assistant professor of history at the State University of New York at New Paltz, has been selected from among the college’s full-time faculty as the 2004-2005 recipient of the Liberal Arts & Sciences Teacher of the Year Award.

Dr. Evans joined the New Paltz faculty as a visiting professor in the fall of 2001 and was appointed to his current position after a national search in the fall of 2003. Evans received both his M.A. and Ph.D. in modern German history at Indiana University and teaches modern European history at SUNY New Paltz. He regularly offers survey courses in modern Europe, advanced undergraduate courses in Imperialism, World War II, Twentieth Century Europe and Modern Germany and a graduate course in Modern European Social History. His classes combine political history with a social and cultural approach designed to highlight the experiences of everyday people. Dr. Evans’s research focuses on the history of “scientific racism” in Germany.

“We seek with this award to reinforce that fine teaching is highly valued in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences,” said Gerald Benjamin, dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. “Andy is an extraordinarily talented teacher. I am impressed by the thoroughness with which he prepares, his use of original documents and materials in his courses and his insistence that students consider a range of perspectives on controversial topics. Professor Evans’s students not only read history, they learn to do history. He was recommended this year by a committee of the Liberal Arts and Sciences Senate from among a very strong group of nominees. I am very pleased to recognize him with this award.”

In recognition of his achievement, the sum of $1,000 will be made available by the dean’s office to be spent at Evans’ discretion in furtherance of his professional work. As was the case for award recipients in previous years, Dr. Evans will meet and talk next fall with new faculty about approach to teaching. Additionally, his name will be engraved and join those of previous years’ winners on the plaque recognizing the Liberal Arts and Sciences Teacher of the Year hung in the lobby of the Jacobson Faculty Tower.

Note to editors: A photograph of Any Evans may be downloaded from the SUNY New Paltz Web site at www.newpaltz.edu/news/images/evans.html.