Loyola University Chicago

Faculty Council

Remarks by Gordon Ramsey, Concerning 2011 Award Winner

PETER SCHRADER - FACULTY MEMBER OF THE YEAR AWARD (2011)

The Faculty Council Chair has many responsibilities and a few privileges. One of the best honors that I have in this role is to present the Faculty Member of the Year Award. This year's presentation is gratifying to me since I have worked with this honoree on Faculty Council and as the previous Chair, he has helped me acclimate to the Chair position. He has been a valuable friend and a colleague in my work with the Council. 

Faculty members are 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 your Faculty Council. 

This year, I am pleased to announce that the committee unanimously recommended that Professor Peter Schraeder of the Department of Political Science, be honored as the 2011 Faculty member of the Year. Peter is a graduate of Bradley University and received his PhD from the University of South Carolina. He also has a degree in French Civilization and Language from the Sorbonne in Paris. He has excelled in all areas of teaching, research and service. 

Professor Schraeder is a highly accomplished teacher, having just been awarded the Edwin T. and Vivijeanne Sujack Award for teaching excellence. He teaches courses at all levels at Loyola and summer courses in Tunisia. Professor Schraeder is internationally recognized as an expert in African and Middle East political systems and he passes this expertise along to his students. 

Since joining Loyola 21 years ago, Professor Schraeder's impressive research has focused on many areas of political science. His expertise is in comparative politics, especially involving the US, North Africa, and the Middle East. He combines many research methods in his approach. He is the author of 37 journal articles, 23 monographs, 42 book chapters, and 10 books including a seminal book on US policy toward Africa. He has received numerous grants from US, France, and Nordic governments, including the most recent $250,000 for collaborations between LU and Tunisian Universities. Professor Schraeder has been a Fulbright Scholar, both at the University of Tunis and at the Cheikh Anta Diop University in Senegal.

Professor Schraeder has served on numerous committees, including Faculty Council, where he was the Chair prior to me. He was instrumental in finalizing the Faculty Handbook and negotiating its approval by the Administration and Board of Trustees. He is presently serving on the Faculty Senate Task Force. Professor Schraeder is also the director of the graduate program in the Political Science Department. 

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 Peter Schraeder as Loyola's 2011 Faculty Member of the Year, which includes this beautiful plaque and, perhaps even more important, a check for $2,000. 

Could you please join me in congratulating Peter Schraeder.