Speel Receives Atherton Award for Teaching Excellence
Robert W. Speel, program chair and associate professor of political science at Penn State Erie, The Behrend College, is a recipient of the 2006 George W. Atherton Award for Excellence in Teaching.
“Personally, teaching Penn State Behrend students has been a rewarding career decision,” Speel said when asked about his nomination and subsequent award. “Some of the best aspects of teaching are when students want to discuss class topics outside of class because they’re eager to learn more or when former students explain the impact of a course on their lives after graduation—how worthwhile and applicable they find what they learned to be.
“I truly believe that teachers can have such a great impact on the education of young adults, who will be the future leaders of Pennsylvania, the United States and the world,” Speel continued. “Having such an impact makes a career worthwhile.”
Speel, who has served as a Penn State Behrend faculty member since 1992, is described by his nominators as “an outstanding professor who makes his subject come alive and his courses relevant to students’ lives.”
He has taught courses on American national government, public policy, comparative politics of Western Europe, and ethnic and racial politics, among others. Speel is the primary adviser for the political science major and is largely responsible for monitoring the teaching and scheduling of political science classes.
Faculty and students alike praise Speel’s ability to encourage students to think critically.
“Not only does he want students to learn as much as possible about politics, policies and procedures, but he wants them to learn how to question their beliefs and to clarify their positions on various issues,” said one nominator.
Speel remains active with his students by supervising internships for those placed in U.S. senator’s offices, directing honors theses, and organizing many educational events and activities for students, including two student trips.
Biennially during spring break, Speel organizes a political science trip to Washington, D.C., giving students the opportunity to meet congressmen and embassy officials and tour major government departments.
Most recently, he began a new education abroad program to take place on the Ryerson University campus in downtown Toronto starting in summer 2006. The program will offer a course on North American politics, which will compare the political histories, politics and institutions of the United States and Canada, plus discuss American-Canadian international relations. The course will be co-taught by Speel and Gregory Inwood, associate professor of politics and public administration at Ryerson University.
Speel earned both his doctorate and master’s degree in government from Cornell University in Ithaca, N.Y. and his bachelor’s degree in political science and sociology from the University of Pennsylvania. In addition to publishing and presenting his scholarly research, Speel’s expertise in politics, elections and voting behavior has been called upon by numerous media outlets nationwide.
The award, named after the university’s seventh president, is presented each year to four faculty members who have devoted substantial effort to undergraduate teaching. It was established in 1989 as a continuation of the AMOCO Foundation Award for Outstanding Teaching.
In addition to Speel, the 2006 recipients are Brian A. Curran, associate professor of art history, Penn State University Park, Laura A. Guertin, assistant professor of earth sciences, Penn State Delaware County, and Jennifer Marchand-Reilly, associate professor of human development and family studies, Penn State Mont Alto.