Dr. Bill Grover, professor of political science, was awarded a Reverend Gerald E. Dupont Award from the graduating seniors of the class of 2009 at an awards banquet held May 12 at Saint Michael's. Dupont Awards, named for former president of the college, Rev. Gerald E. Dupont, S.S.E., are given to persons who "demonstrate dedication to the ideals of courage, vision, devotion and faith upon which Saint Michael's College was founded," and are given in recognition of outstanding contributions to the Saint Michael's Community.
The 2010 Student Association President David M. Hiltz presented the award, saying "for over 20 years of dedication, teaching and service to Saint Michael's College, Bill has helped to make our community better."
Professor Grover's courses range from American national politics, political institutions, political economy and foreign policy, to his innovative first-year seminar on the literature and thought of fly fishing. The student presenter said Dr. Grover's hands-on approach to learning encourages student involvement in groups such as Student Labor Action Movement, and other activities that help students become socially conscious and active, engaged citizens.
Professor Grover's book Voices of Dissent: Critical Readings in American Politics, is now in its eighth edition from Pearson Longman publishers. He is also author of the award-winning book, The President as Prisoner: A Structural Critique of the Carter and Reagan Years, named the Choice magazine Outstanding Academic Book on U.S. Politics. Professor Grover has also published essays on the Vermont politician Bernie Sanders, and other topics.
Student presenter, David Hiltz, concluded with one of Professor Grover's favorite quotations, "We are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny." The student added, "For over 20 years, Bill has worked to remind us of our responsibility both within the confines of Saint Michael's and beyond in our global community. For this we present Bill Grover with the DuPont Award."
Saint Michael's College, founded in 1904 by the Society of St. Edmund and headed by President John J. Neuhauser, is identified by the Princeton Review as one of the nation's Best 368 Colleges. A liberal arts, residential, Catholic college, Saint Michael's is located just outside of Burlington, Vermont, one of America's top college towns and less than two hours from Montreal. As one of only 270 institutions nationwide with a prestigious Phi Beta Kappa chapter on campus, Saint Michael's has 2,000 full-time undergraduate students, some 500 graduate students and 200 international students. In recent years Saint Michael's students and professors have received Rhodes, Woodrow Wilson, Guggenheim, Fulbright, National Science Foundation and other grants, and Saint Michael's professors have been named Vermont Professor of the Year in four of the last eight years. The college is currently listed as one of the nation's Best Liberal Arts Colleges in the 2009 U.S. News & World Report rankings.
Photo caption: Saint Michael's Student Association President David Hiltz '10 presents award to Dr. Bill Grover
Photo by Andy Duback