2026 Spring Summer Onyx Anneau

Faculty Excellence Pomeroy Awards for Each spring, Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College (SMWC) gathers to honor outstanding faculty members during the Pomeroy Awards for Faculty Excellence Ceremony. Several faculty members were recognized this year for their outstanding achievements. “Today is the day to honor faculty members who have chosen to aspire higher each day, either in the classroom with teaching, research and scholarly work within a professional discipline or serving others and our communities,” said Janet Clark, provost/executive vice president for academic affairs. “Your leadership and excellence inspire us all.” The faculty members who were recognized this year include:

2026 Alumni Faculty Leadership and Service Award

Robert Vandermolen, Ph.D. Assistant Professor of Mathematics

• Served as President of the Faculty Assembly, Chair of the Curriculum Committee and lead faculty member for the mathematics program • Led significant curricular initiatives in mathematics, developed a new major in computer science and designed the full curricular map for a new collaborative engineering program • Recently chaired the Accountable Governance Subcommittee for the College’s strategic plan and served on the AESR committee focused on assessing the sustainability of SMWC’s academic majors • A student nomination said he “creates an environment where students feel confident in their work and encourages us to step outside of our comfort zones and try new things without fear of failure” and “supports and encourages us to believe in ourselves and our abilities.”

Vandermolen with Vice President for Advancement, BJ Riley ’16, ’23MLD, ’24MBA

2026 Outstanding Adjunct Instructor Award

Kathleen Pickrell Adjunct Nursing Faculty Member

• Consistently engages with the Faculty Resource Center, reflecting a genuine dedication to lifelong learning • Actively seeks opportunities to strengthen her teaching, learning and technology skills • Nomination noted her openness to innovation is evident in her engagement with tools like artificial intelligence, and encouraging students to use these tools as meaningful learning resources • Her nomination also spoke of her contagious enthusiasm for teaching and creating an environment where students feel motivated, supported and inspired

Pickrell with Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs, Janet Clark, Ph.D.

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