Local Resident Susan Dinan Receives Award for Excellence in Teaching

Maplewood, New Jersey resident Susan Dinan, an Associate Professor of History and Chair of the History Department at the C.W. Post Campus of Long Island University in Brookville, NY, has been selected as a recipient of the 2004 David Newton Excellence in Teaching Award.

The David Newton Excellence in Teaching Awards were first offered in 1988 after a generous endowment in the name of Dr. David Newton, former vice chancellor of Long Island University and the ground-breaking educational leader who introduced open admissions to New York City colleges back in 1969.

Recipients of the annual Newton Teaching Awards are honored at a special ceremony where they receive a cash award plus a glass "apple" engraved with their name. Academic departments at each of Long Island University’s six campuses may nominate one or more candidates for the award with careful consideration of the following criteria: presentation, attitude, expectations of students, and professional development and knowledge. This year, Newton awards were presented to seven Long Island University professors.

In her incarnation as a writer, Dr. Dinan studies 17th century France, concentrating on the role of convents in fostering women’s work in the world of the poor. Dr. Dinan has edited one book on the subject, titled Women and Religion in Old and New Worlds (Routledge, 2001) and is revising a second manuscript titled Women and Poor Relief in Seventeenth-Century France: The Early History of the Daughters of Charity (Ashgate Press).

Dr. Dinan joined the faculty of C.W. Post in 1997, and this year she is being commended for her noted scholarship as well as her outstanding teaching methods. With her colleague Mark Pires, also a 2004 Newton recipient, Dr. Dinan helped create The Teaching and Learning Initiative at C.W. Post and is a strong proponent of the academic program Writing Across the Curriculum.

"Dr. Dinan is adept at working with students in various levels of study, from introductory courses to Honors courses to graduate courses" said Dr. Katherine Hill-Miller, dean of the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences. "Whether in the classroom or conducting research for her next writing project, Dr. Dinan holds the highest amount of respect for her students and co-workers. They, in return, hold her in their highest esteem. We are proud to honor her this year for her exceptional teaching skills and dedication to her discipline."

Dr. Dinan received a B.S. from Cornell University, a B.A. from the University of Washington, an M.A. from the University of Illinois, and a Ph.D. from the University of Wisconsin.