More than 40 faculty members received tenure or promotions this year, and on Sept. 16, the Fordham community honored their academic milestones at the Celebration of Newly Tenured and Promoted Faculty in the McShane Center’s Great Hall. The ceremony, now in its fifth year, offered faculty the opportunity to celebrate their achievements among family and friends.
“Earning tenure and achieving promotion is far more than a professional milestone,” said Ji Seon Lee, PhD, associate provost for faculty affairs, in her opening remarks. “It is a profound validation of years of relentless research, exceptional teaching, and deep institutional commitment.”
Deans from across Fordham’s schools and colleagues in the provost’s office affirmed the faculty members’ hard work. Jonathan Crystal, PhD, vice provost for academic affairs, encouraged the honorees “to pause and just sit with that feeling of happiness, the deep satisfaction of your achievement.”
New Provost KerryAnn O’Meara, PhD, humorously reinforced that sentiment. “You’re literally required to sit there and spend a little time with us in recognition, awe, and gratitude for the milestones you’ve achieved.” She also reflected on the parents, partners, children, siblings, mentors, and colleagues—many of whom sat in the room—who accompanied them on their journey.
The citations for all 45 faculty members who received a promotion, tenure, or both are available here; 21 attended the event.
President Tania Tetlow concluded the ceremony with a sweeping tribute to the collective intellectual power gathered in the room and the ways that faculty impact students.
“You show them what it means to solve problems, to understand humanity, to matter more to the world,” she said.
‘A Special Treat’
The evening was also a chance for honorees to reflect on their life’s work. “It’s a super long journey to get to this point,” said Michele Prettyman, PhD. The film, visual culture, and cultural studies scholar was promoted to associate professor of communication and media studies and granted tenure. “Sometimes you have multiple positions before you get tenure. That was the case for me, and now finally I’ve reached that milestone. It feels great.
Miguel Alzola, PhD, missed out on the ceremony when he received tenure in 2018, and was happy to be part of this year’s celebration. “It reinforces my commitment to the university and its mission,” said the newly promoted professor of law and ethics in the Gabelli School of Business.
The honorees were happy to share their recognition with friends. “I am really blown away by the sweetness of the event and the camaraderie,” said Kathryn Blakely, PhD. The advanced lecturer of English examines the relationship between ethics and the novelistic form of 18th-century British literature.
Derek Tice-Brown, PhD, who researches oppression-related stress and how mindfulness practices can help with it, received tenure and a promotion to associate professor in the Graduate School of Social Service. He said that being honored felt “like a really special treat.”
“And the most amazing part is what Fordham represents, which is community. I have my community from the school, from my personal life, but also the larger University community to recognize this, which is really wonderful,” he said.
