Hegarty Award Citation for Associate Professor Magdalena James-Pederson

The Louise F. Hegarty Award for Excellence in Teaching is given each year to a full-time faculty member whose teaching has had a marked influence on the lives of Stonehill students. The Committee on Excellence in Teaching, representing the Students, Faculty, and the Alumni Council, selects the outstanding teacher from those nominated by students and faculty members. The recipient stands as a symbol of the entire faculty's commitment to academic excellence. At Convocation 2011, Stonehill College is proud to bestow the Hegarty Award on Professor Magdalena James-Pederson.

Professor Pederson's commitment to Stonehill's mission is abundantly clear in the words of those who nominated her. We will let them speak for themselves.

• I honestly don't think I could use just this space or even twenty pages to explain why Professor Pederson deserves this award. There are so many wonderful faculty members at Stonehill. But Professor Pederson is different. She is more than wonderful: she is inspiring, intelligent, innately caring, and infectious. Let us call them "the four Is."
• Her passion for biochemistry and education is showcased in each course she teaches. She enjoys challenging us beyond what we thought possible, because she knows we are capable of it. I am fully engaged because she makes sure to explain applications of what we are learning.
• Seeing the amount of time, effort, and energy Professor Pederson puts into everything she does, I was motivated to do my best work in her class. When you go to her office, it is obvious how much she enjoys helping students. Her laugh is infectious; you can't help but smile and laugh along with her.
• She goes above and beyond for her students every day. It is a fairly common occurrence to see Professor Pederson in her office on the weekends and late at night, past midnight.
• I only wish that this nomination could convey all that Professor Pederson does for students at this school. I have come to consider her not only a wonderful and dedicated professor, but a mentor, a friend, and a role model.
• If you asked me what I wanted to be when I was ten years old, I would have replied, "a doctor." At the age of 15, I would have said, "a film director." After this year, my answer is "Magdalena James-Pederson." The ultimate goal of a teacher isn't to teach; it's to inspire. Magda has inspired me and manyother students and faculty members to do the greatest things possible.

And so with deep pride we today recognize Professor Magdalena James -Pederson for exemplifying Stonehill's commitment to academic excellence.

Given this thirtieth day of August,

Two thousand and eleven