Dr. Patrick Dolenc Named Distinguished Teacher of the Year
Professor of Economics Recognized for Teaching Excellence and Engaging Students to be Active Citizens
Keene State College today announces that Dr. Patrick Dolenc, Professor of Economics, is the recipient of Keene State College’s 2013 Distinguished Teacher Award, for excellence in teaching and his leadership in engaging Keene State students as active citizens. The award is presented annually by the Keene State College Alumni Association to recognize excellence in teaching, encouragement of independent thinking, rapport with students and effective student advising. Dr. Dolenc becomes the 43rd recipient of this distinctive honor.
Dr. Dolenc earned his PhD in Economics and BS degrees in economics and political science from the University of Utah. For more than twenty years, Dr. Dolenc has taught on the faculties of University of Utah, Antioch New England Graduate School, University of Massachusetts, Amherst and Keene State College. As a professor of economics and strong advocate for civic engagement, he has served as chair of Keene State’s Economics and Political Science Department, published several works and presented and participated in 30 academic forums. Dr. Dolenc took a lead role in establishing the American Democracy Project (ADP) at Keene State College, in order to deliver on the College’s role to prepare students to be active citizens. Dr. Dolenc developed coursework to support long-term sustainability of the ADP program, which is now offered by a number of his colleagues.
Faculty and students are clearly inspired by Professor Dolenc’s excellence, as demonstrated by his numerous nominations and praises. One former student said “his intellectual capacity and knowledge combined with his never-ending enthusiasm for economics, political science and higher learning has as a whole, altered my mind set and that of other students as well. Professor Dolenc is as rare as they come, and I am grateful to have been taught by him.” In an alumni nomination, it was noted that Dr. Dolenc “has worked for decades to better himself and the college community in the most respectable ways imaginable. It was a privilege to experience the results of his efforts.”
“I am honored to be this year’s Distinguished Teacher at Keene State College. I am grateful to have had the opportunity to work at a public liberal arts college that embraces its mission with a rigorous academic curriculum to ‘…prepare promising students to think critically and creatively, to engage in active citizenship, and to pursue meaningful work.’ Integrating civic engagement and the values of the American Democracy Project into my teaching and advising has given new purpose to my work. I like to think that I am helping to make a difference in students’ lives and that they will leave Keene State better equipped to make a difference in their communities,” said Dr. Dolenc.
More about the American Democracy Project can be found at: http://www.aascu.org/programs/ADP/.
