by Tom Parisi
The newly named NIU Board of Trustees Professors will be honored at a reception and ceremony Wednesday, Oct. 22, in the Altgeld Hall Auditorium – and each will receive a unique medallion created by one of the university’s own.
The event will begin at 3 p.m. with the awards ceremony scheduled for 4 p.m.
NIU President John Peters announced last month that anthropologist Dan Gebo, chemist Narayan Hosmane and historian Christine Worobec were appointed as the inaugural recipients of the BOT Professorships.
The professorships recognize faculty who have achieved a consistent record of excellence in teaching, academic leadership and service and outreach. Special emphasis is placed on selecting faculty members who have earned international acclaim for their scholarship or artistry and continue to engage students in their research and professional activities.
With those criteria in mind, Jamie Obermeier, an assistant professor and silversmith in the NIU School of Art, designed the BOT Professorship medallion. “We wanted to create something unique and of high quality,” he said.
Each sterling silver medallion weighs between 2 and 3 ounces and is imprinted with the Latin terms for research, mentorship and service. The medallions also feature images of a swallow and the university entranceway at Castle Drive.
“The main entrance and gate to the university is one of the best visual features of our campus,” Obermeier said.
“I chose the image of a swallow after researching the word ‘mentor,’ ” he added. “In Greek mythology, Mentor was a good friend of Odysseus, and was left in charge of Odysseus’ son during the Trojan War. Later Athena, the goddess of wisdom, who was disguised as Mentor, took the form of a swallow. I think all of these references mesh nicely with one another, and with the spirit of the award.”
More information on this year’s BOT Professorships and profiles of the award recipients is available online.