Six recognized with University Outreach awards

hree faculty were recognized April 9 for their educational efforts off-campus by the Office of University Outreach during a reception at Hillside.

     John Mullins, interim vice chancellor for University Outreach presented Distinguished Academic Outreach Awards to Communication professor Sut Jhally, Biology professor Ed Klekowski and Leda McKenry, associate professor of Nursing.

     Jhally was cited for his contributions to public education through his creation and ongoing leadership of the Media Education Foundation, a nonprofit, independent producer and distributor of critical media resources. MEF offers a large catalog of classroom videos on topics ranging from sex stereotyping on MTV to the myth of media liberalism, all accompanied by discussion notes, teaching guides and bibliographies. More recently, MEF developed "Beyond the Frame," a Web-based project featuring independent political voices on the events of Sept. 11.

     A 30-year member of the faculty, Klekowski was honored for advancing public interest and education in science through underwater explorations of the Quabbin Reservoir, Connecticut River and Lake Pleasant. He has melded biology, geology, history and underwater archaeology for public presentations, the World Wide Web, museums, schools and public television. His recently produced program for WGBY-TV, "Under Quabbin," was a record-setting fund-raiser for the station and has been replayed several times in Springfield and Boston.

     McKenry's award was in recognition of her work bettering the lives of people in underprivileged communities and overseeing international experiences for students. In 1993, she established the Ghana Health Mission and has since led semi-annual visits by students, alumni, faculty and volunteers to the African nation, where they provide primary health care to 10,000 people, teach health classes and pursue collaborations with Ghanaian providers. This year, McKenry was invited by the government in Northern Ireland to advise on the issue of extending prescribing rights to nurses.

     Mullin also gave Distinguished Outreach Partnership Awards to Gladys Lebron, associate director of Nueva Esperanza, a nonprofit community development corporation in Holyoke, and John Gallup, senior vice president for economic development with the Greater Springfield Chamber of Commerce.

     Morton Sternheim, professor emeritus of Physics, was awarded a special Outreach Citation.