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Chancellor
Surprises Professors With Kemper Fellowships
The William T. Kemper Fellowships for Teaching
Excellence were created in 1991 with a $500,000 gift to honor
outstanding MU teachers each year. Commerce Bank manages the trust
fund. This year, five faculty members are each being recognized
with a $10,000 cash bonus.
Kemper, a 1926 MU graduate, was a well-known
civic leader in Kansas City until his death in 1989. His 52-year
career in banking included top positions at banks in Missouri,
Kansas and Oklahoma.
STEPHEN EASTON
Associate Professor of Law
 Stephen Easton is described by colleagues
as a true teacher in every sense of the word, and students say
they are inspired by his character and passion for law.
His philosophy as an educator is to help students learn the law
of the subject at hand, think about it, apply it, critique it
and understand how it affects individuals; he hopes his students
become interested and energized by what they are learning.
As an experienced trial attorney and formerly
the youngest United States Attorney in the nation, Easton advises
students and provides them with “constructive feedback”
to help them “grow personally, academically and professionally.”
One former student said, “He instilled in me a confidence
in myself and in the judicial system,” and other students
call his teaching style “innovative” and “enthusiastic.”
Easton earned a bachelor’s degree from
Dickinson State University in 1980 and obtained a juris doctor
from Stanford Law School in 1983. He began his teaching career
at MU in 1998 and has received an Excellence in Education Award,
a Gold Chalk Award and a Board of Advocates Faculty Achievement
Award. The American Inns of Court awarded him the Warren E. Burger
Prize in 2004 for his article, “My Last Lecture: Unsolicited
Advice for Future and Current Lawyers,” an essay that displays
his “dedication to the principles of ethics and professionalism.”
JOAN HERMSEN
Associate Professor of Sociology
 Joan Hermsen strives to help students develop
an understanding of how their lives affect social structures.
Through courses such as “Social Inequalities” and
her commitment to programs that advocate social justice, she “profoundly
changes the lives of her students for the better.”
As a Freshman Interest Group faculty facilitator
and the academic adviser for sociology
majors, she mentors students and encourages them to be “lifelong
learners.” One student said, “Her honesty and insight
are astounding,” and colleagues call her approach to teaching
“an exemplary model, distinguished” and “effective.”
Hermsen has served as a member and chair of
the Campus Writing Board and teaches writing-intensive and graduate
courses that push students to develop critical thinking skills.
In addition, she engages students in research on social inequalities
in the community by involving them in studies at the Mid-Missouri
Food Pantry and Habitat for Humanity.
Hermsen earned a bachelor’s degree in
sociology from Briar Cliff College in 1988 and a master’s
of arts in sociology and doctorate in sociology from the University
of Maryland in 1992 and 1997. Her awards include a Purple Chalk
Teaching Award and a Summer Pre-Graduate Distinguished Mentor
Award.
WILLIAM KERWIN
Associate Professor of English
 William Kerwin brings Shakespeare to life
and inspires students to approach the study of Shakespearean classics
with excitement. Although Twelfth Night and Henry
IV can prove to be challenging material for many English
teachers to demonstrate, Kerwin uses “contemporary comparisons”
to convey how themes from texts are relevant to students today.
He describes his teaching as “unsettling” in a positive
manner in that with each new term, his teaching methods are adjusted
to reflect higher expectations and new conditions.
Kerwin urges students to develop their own
theories by TATW, or “talking about the words,” rather
than merely identifying themes and subjects in the texts. Students
say he is “straightforward in both his praise and critique”
of writing, a trait they have come to appreciate. They also describe
him as a “motivator” and as someone who has mastered
teaching literature like an “artist.”
Since he began teaching at MU in 1997, Kerwin
has dedicated himself to his students, mentoring graduate students
and doctoral candidates and meeting with students individually
to help them improve their skills in writing literary analysis.
He received a bachelor’s degree in English from the College
of the Holy Cross in 1980, a master’s of arts in English
from Bread Loaf School of English at Middlebury College in 1987
and a doctorate in English from the University of North Carolina
at Chapel Hill in 1996.
PAUL MICELI
Professor of Physics
 Paul Miceli’s goal as an educator is
two-fold: to relate physics
to humanity and to tease the intellect of students from two audiences,
both physics and non-physics majors. Students believe he not only
achieves this goal, but he also attains it in a “refreshing”
manner. He “demystifies the physical world” for non-majors
and assists physics majors in becoming independent researchers
who “are able to scientifically ‘stand on their own
feet.’”
At MU, Miceli involves undergraduates, graduates
and doctoral candidates in physics research, most notably in projects
that require X-ray and neutron scattering techniques he teaches
in class. In the community, he dedicates time to educating elementary
and high school students through physics seminars and demonstrations.
Miceli’s passion for physics was described by many students
as “genuine,” and his colleagues believe he fosters
a “can-do” attitude in students by keeping lectures
“energetic.”
Miceli earned a bachelor’s degree in
engineering physics, a master’s of science in physics and
a doctorate in physics from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
in 1982, 1983 and 1987, respectively. He serves on several panels
and committees, including the Instrument Advisory Committee at
the Spallation Neutron Source and the Midwest Universities Collaborative
Access Team at the Advanced Photon Source.
THOMAS PHILLIPS
Professor of Biological Sciences
 Students consider Thomas Phillips’ biological
sciences classes “rewarding” and “invaluable.”
One student said, “I can think of no other professor more
deserving of this award than Dr. Phillips. He is the best teacher
that I have ever encountered. It has been an incredible honor
to be instructed by him.”
Phillips received his undergraduate degree in chemistry from Indiana
University before going on to Northwestern University for a doctorate
degree in pharmacology. He did his post-doctoral training at Harvard
Medical School and joined the MU faculty in 1986. His research
examines structure-function relationships in both mammalian and
plant cells using a wide range of microscopy techniques.
His teaching responsibilities include a histology
course and a writing-intensive senior seminar. He also serves
as Director of the Molecular
Cytology Core, which is a campus-wide facility for light microscopic
imaging.
Phillips is married to Terry Phillips who
works as a CPA. Their son, Seth, is a freshman in college.
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Last Update:
March 12, 2007
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