Lenfest Winners Excel in Classroom and Out

Being a great teacher requires humor, enthusiasm, insatiable curiosity and intense preparation. So say some of the winners of this year's Distinguished Columbia Faculty Awards, which are given annually to a handful of professors for their teaching skills and their strength in mentoring students. The awards were established by University trustee Gerry Lenfest (LAW'58, HON'09) in 2005, as a way to make sure faculty members are recognized and rewarded for attributes beyond their scholarship and research. This year's seven winning faculty members come from disciplines ranging from biological sciences to Germanic languages and were honored at a dinner at Faculty House Feb. Each will receive a stipend of $25,000 per year for three consecutive years. Their teaching styles are as varied as their specialties, but all agree on two basic points: Keep it interesting and keep it comprehensible. Exploring the unknown is still the best part of teaching, says Stefan Andriopoulos , associate professor of Germanic languages and literature.