The 2021-22 Polanowski Prize for Excellence in Faculty-Student Advising and Mentorship recipient is Jeffrey A. Rood, Professor of Chemistry. The award is presented to an Elizabethtown College faculty member to commend and celebrate excellence in advising and mentoring students toward successful graduate school placement and/or careers.
Rood will be recognized for his achievements during the closing reception of Etown’s Scholarship and Creative Arts Day (SCAD) on Tuesday, April 26 in the Bowers Center.
“While our time at Elizabethtown College did not overlap, I have heard many stories about the dedication that Professor Polanowski had to his students,” Rood said. “It is relationships like these that make Etown a special place to work and learn and I am incredibly honored to be recognized with this year’s Polanowski Prize. I appreciate the students and my colleagues for thinking of me for this award and I am grateful to them and to the review committee for selecting me.”
Congratulatory Statement from the 2021-22 Polanowski Prize Selection Committee:
The selection committee noted that Dr. Rood’s positive impact on Elizabethtown College students through his mentoring and advising deserves recognition and celebration. Nomination letters noted his outstanding advising and mentorship that provides students with life-changing engagement opportunities and professional experiences and his commitment toward ongoing support for students at all levels. Repeatedly, students noted how supportive and encouraging he is and that they could depend on him whenever they needed sound academic or career advice in the lab, classroom, or an informal setting. Numerous students also noted how helpful, approachable, and focused Dr. Rood is on individuals’ success. He tirelessly works to help his students hone their chemistry, research, presentation, as well as other professional skills and has mentored numerous students outside of the classroom via SCARP.
Dr. Rood’s profound impact is seen in student quotes that show the importance of his mentorship on the lives of Blue Jays.
“His teaching helped change my static mindset to a dynamic one and let me understand the importance of learning as a process.”
“I began writing an application for a Fulbright grant to carry out my research, and Dr. Rood collaborated to help me throughout the process, leading to my application’s approval.”
Congratulations, Dr. Rood, for the recognition and celebration of your advising and mentoring!
About the Polanowski Prize for Excellence
The Polanowski Prize for Excellence, which has been made possible through the generosity of Dr. Mary E. Schmidt ’79 and Dr. Russell Libby, honors Dr. Frank P. Polanowski, Associate Professor of Biology Emeritus, for his inspirational service to countless students at Elizabethtown College.
The Faculty Professional Development Committee and a representative group of current students chose the recipient of the Polanowski Prize from the list of faculty members who were nominated by at least three of the following constituencies: alumni, current students, faculty, and administrators/staff.