WALTER JAY - FACULTY MEMBER OF THE YEAR AWARD (2010)

Being the Faculty Council Chair carries many responsibilities. Along with them, come a few privileges. One of the greatest honors that I have in this role is to present the Faculty Member of the Year Award. This year's presentation is particularly gratifying to me, since I have worked with the honoree on Faculty Council and he has helped me immensely in my transition to the Chair position. He has been a valuable friend and colleague in my work with the Council. 

Faculty members can be nominated by all of Loyola's schools and colleges. An awards committee of Faculty Council selects finalists and the final selection is approved by the entire elected membership of Faculty Council.

This year, I am pleased to announce that the committee unanimously recommended that Professor Walter M. Jay, who is the John M. Krasa Professor of Ophthalmology and Vice Chair of the Faculty Council, be honored as the 2010 Faculty Member of the Year. Walter is a Loyola graduate, who received his MD from the University of Chicago.

Professor Jay is a highly accomplished teacher. He teaches and mentors medical students and residents in lecture and clinic formats. He has co-written publications with residents. Professor Jay is internationally recognized and has trained some of the top ophthalmologists in the United States. As Chair of the Department of Ophthalmology, he has initiated several programs in neuro-ophthalmology at Loyola.

Since joining Loyola's School of Medicine more than 21 years ago, Professor Jay's impressive research has focused on many areas of ophthalmology. This research has been funded from a variety of sources, ranging from the Illinois Society for the Prevention of Blindness to the NIH. He has over 100 journal publications and has presented many abstracts and posters. 

Professor Jay has served on numerous national, regional and university committees, including Faculty Council. He has been active in the Chicago Ophthalmology Society, having served as an officer for the Society. He has been listed as a top doctor in Chicago by Chicago Magazine, Castle Connolly Guide and Chicago Consumers' Checkbook. Walter has been the Editor in Chief in Chief of Neuro-Ophthalmology and on the Editorial Board of Seminars in Ophthalmology. 

He is the recipient of numerous awards, such as the Young Faculty Award from the Medical College of Georgia and the Been-Fisher Award of the Chicago Ophthalmology Society.

He is without question a faculty member who deserves to be recognized for his outstanding achievements in teaching, scholarship and service, in the Jesuit tradition. On behalf of Faculty Council and all of his colleagues, it is my pleasure to publicly recognize Professor Walter M. Jay as Loyola's 2010 Faculty member of the Year, which includes this beautiful plaque and, perhaps even more importantly, a check for $2,000.

Could you please join me in congratulating Walter Jay.