The 2024-25 Polanowski Prize for Excellence in Faculty-Student Advising and Mentorship recipient is Dr. Conrad Kanagy, Elizabethtown College Professor of Sociology. 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.
Professor Kanagy will be recognized for his achievements during the closing reception of 2025 Etown’s Scholarship and Creative Arts Day (SCAD) on Tuesday, April 22 in the Bowers Center for Sports, Fitness and Well-Being.
“I am humbled, honored, and grateful to be this year’s recipient of the Polanowski Prize for Excellence,” Kanagy said. “All of my academic life I have been blessed with excellent mentors who have been wise and compassionate and tireless in their desire to help me succeed. They have been patient and believed in me when I didn’t believe in myself. I hope I have been one from whom students at Elizabethtown College received the same gifts. The College has been my home for 32 years and is a wonderful place where so many colleagues deserve this recognition. My most sincere thank you to Drs. Schmidt and Libby for establishing this award in honor of Dr. Frank Polanowski’s endless dedication to others.”
Congratulatory Statement from the 2024-25 Polanowski Prize Selection Committee:
The selection committee noted Dr. Kanagy’s commitment to his students’ success through outstanding mentorship and advising. Students who nominated Dr. Kanagy provided highly descriptive letters that noted his service as a positive role model who readily fostered a sense of belonging, both in and out of the classroom. His students consistently praised his ability to recognize their potential, provide personalized guidance, and create an inclusive and inspiring learning environment where they felt valued, challenged, and encouraged to succeed.
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.