Faculty Achievements Recognized

Five NMU professors were honored for their scholarly or creative activities, teaching and innovative use of technology at a Dec. 3 celebration.

Award recipients were (pictured from left): Suzanne Standerford (Education), excellence in teaching; Beverly Matherne (English) and James Cantrill (CAPS), excellence in scholarship; Katherine Hanson (English), excellence in teaching; and Patricia Hogan, who recieved the TLC award for her effective use of the laptop computer in the academic environment.

Standerford was an elementary teacher and reading/math specialist before coming to NMU in 1992. She has created collaborative relationships in the university, community and with local school districts through the Upper Peninsula Writing Project. She was recognized for modeling excellent teaching for those who seek to enter the profession, creating a learning community in her classes and inviting students to present their work with her at professional conferences.

Matherne was credited with bringing international recognition to NMU through her scholarship. She is a Francophone author and poet who recently published her fifth bilingual book of poetry titled Lamothe-Cadillac: His Early Life in France. She has won seven first-place poetry awards and her writings have appeared in numerous anthologies and literary magazines. Matherne, an NMU faculty member since 1991, has read and performed her work in more than 200 venues worldwide.

Cantrill’s area of expertise and related scholarship is in environmental communication. He is a consultant for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and Parks Canada, among other organizations. His research record has helped him to earn external grants from such agencies as the U.S. Forest Service, the Great Lakes National Program Office and the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality. Since coming to NMU in 1990, Cantrill has written or co-edited numerous books, journal articles and technical papers. He often involves NMU students in his publications and presentations.

Hanson has honed her skills as a fiction writer, winning several awards for her work. She also transformed Northern’s literary magazine, Passages North, into a premier publication that attracts both award-winning and emerging writers. She was commended for creating a dynamic experience for students in the classroom and serving as an effective mentor for those who plan to enter the writing profession. She joined the NMU faculty in 1998.

Hogan received the TLC Award, which is named for the Teaching, Learning and Communication technology initiative. She has integrated innovative technological tools into her programming in health/fitness class. These include a wiki and a YouTube real-time case study, in which local business Superior Fitness was the case company. She encourages her students to become lifelong, self-directed learners and teachers, with an emphasis on critical and creative thinking. She joined the NMU faculty in 1991.