Immanuel Kant would have enjoyed the convergence of space, time, and transcendental idealism that took place in the Hall of Presidents on Friday, March 26.
Colgate trustees, administrators, and faculty gathered that evening to present the inaugural Jerome Balmuth Award for Teaching and Student Engagement to Marilyn Thie, professor of philosophy, religion, and women’s studies.
While celebrating her 35-year commitment to students and the learning process, the crowd also raised a toast to the award’s namesake, Harry Emerson Fosdick Professor of Philosophy and Religion Jerry Balmuth.
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| (From left) Professor Marilyn Thie, Professor Jerry Balmuth, and his wife, Martha, at the inaugural Jerome Balmuth Award for Teaching and Student Engagement dinner on March 26. (Photo by Andy Daddio) |
The award was created through a generous gift from Mark Siegel ’73 to recognize distinctively successful and transformative teaching, regardless of methodology. Though he could not be present for the ceremony, Siegel made his comments to the audience through Interim President Lyle Roelofs.
“I want to say a tremendous thank you,” he wrote, “to Professor Thie, who continues the tradition of the finest teaching of the liberal arts.”
Ideal liberal arts teaching turned Siegel, a philosophy major, into president of ReMY Investors & Consultants. Time spent at Colgate prepared him to become chairman of the board of directors at Patterson-UTI Energy, Inc., the J. Paul Getty Trust, and Cedars-Sinai Medical Center.
“By establishing this award, I wanted to demonstrate my commitment to liberal arts education,” he said. In naming the award after Balmuth, Siegel was also thanking his mentor. “You gave us both the skills and the confidence to reach our potential,” he said.
Balmuth spotted Thie’s potential in the mid-1970s and recruited her to became one of the university’s first female faculty members. In her remarks, she acknowledged the impact he had on her career then outlined part of the philosophy that has inspired her tenure.
“I’ve identified three ‘seeds’ I hope Colgate students will allow to flourish,” she said. “I hope for students to become caring, reflective, and responsible persons.”
Thie has planted these seeds as a teacher and confidant, as philosophy and religion department chair, chair of Women’s Studies, director of Core 152, director of Core Distinction, University Studies division director, and leader of the recent Core revision process. Her life’s work has helped define Colgate’s liberal arts mission.
“Colgate has been a wonderful arena for me, in many ways,” said Thie. “Receiving this award further encourages me to continue teaching a while longer.”
Big congrats to Marilyn! My classes and conversations with Prof. Thie were truly transformative. I remember freshman P&R class and studying Dewey with Marilyn and know she touched me in many ways, successfully planting her 3 seeds.
As I approach returning to Colgate for my 30th reunion, I am getting rather reflective. I believe my Liberal Arts degree with a major in Philosophy, primarily focusing on ethics, prepared me in so many ways to be a leader in the real world, no matter what the doubters may have thought upon graduation. Thank you Marilyn, Jerry, Hunt, and Coleman for helping me explore how to live the “good” (responsible) life.
Marcy Wydman ’80
Congratulations to Professor Thie! I have had countless formative moments under her tutelage over the years. Professor Thie was not only my professor (I have such vivid memories of reading Jane Addams’ perspective on the brutality of WWI in Pragmatism) but also my senior thesis advisor (Thie was the perfect choice, as my topic was a blend of philosophy and women’s studies, exploring the forgotten voice of Medieval philosopher Heloise). Professor Thie has been an amazing role model and mentor, and my life has been enriched by knowing her.
Thank you for everything!
Liz Hinman ’03
I have many fond memories of Marilyn Thie–inside the classroom and out, as was her way (and, no doubt, still is). Four classes at Colgate with her were all inspiring in the way that one always hopes for but rarely experiences. I feel that those experiences have marked me in no small measure, shaped my thinking and life’s path in any number of subtle ways.
A toast! To the professor whom my best buddy and I always recall as having spoken in perfectly formed paragraphs (!) and whose sincerity and insight always impressed me. I can only hope that I bring some small measure of those same traits into MY classroom now, as an assistant prof teaching English at a university in Japan. Thank you, Marilyn, and congratulations!
I, too, wish to post my heartfelt congratulations to Professor Marilyn Thie and thank her for her dedication to teaching and molding minds of Colgate students past and present. My first class with Prof. Thie was Core 152. I was then priviledged to take a religion course on Catholicism with her. I remembered the day she revealed she was a nun with Sisters of Charity and how shocked we all were. She used that experience to challenge us all not to make assumptions and instead open our minds to be lifelong learners.
Again, Congratulations Professor Thie!
Tonya Gscheidle, PhD, NCSP
Colgate Class of 1998
Congratulations to Professor Marilyn Thie. I too, still remember my Freshman P&R class with Professor Thie 34 years later. She really made a positive impression, challenging me to assess previously unexamined ethos. A long overdue thank you!
Marilyn Thie was one of my most memorable professors. I am now a high school social studies teacher, and I attempt to model my grading technique after her’s: use pencil rather than red pen, ask questions rather than make statements in the margins, and draw a line alongside good points, two lines if it was truly exceptional writing.
Marilyn’s classes were truly engaging. This award is well deserved!
Kathie Kunz ’86
Congratulations to Professor Thie! This is well-deserved!
All the best,
Allie Powell ’04
Congratulations, Marilyn! You ever inspire me!
Professor Thie is an inspiration, and she truly deserves this award.
How perfect is this? My favorite prof gets an award named for him and it’s given to my other favorite prof. Heartfelt congratulations to both of you!
My favorite classes with these professors:
Balmuth – Wittgenstein Seminar, and Modern Philosophy
Thie – First Women’s Studies class – ever! – and Freshman P & R
- Mark Tully ’80
Marilyn Thie has inspired countless Colgate women undergrads to find their voice. I know many of my fellow grads who were lucky enough to learn from Marilyn 25 years ago are still living some of the lessons she taught us. Congratulations for such a deserving award.
Please pass along my congratulations to Professor Marilyn Thie. I still remember my Freshman P&R class with Professor Thie; still a winner class in anyone’s book! Can remember our first reading assignment about Aristotle, happiness and the mean between the extremes. Wisdom for the ages. Hello to Professor Balmuth, too, from this former Geneva Study Group member.
Best,
Rachel Dvorken
Class of 1983