DeWall Wins 2018 Grandy Faculty Award

Alumni Association Honors English Professor at Commencement Ceremony

Lebanon, IL (05/12/2018) — The McKendree University Alumni Association chose an English professor known for her positive attitude and love of Shakespeare for the 2018 William Norman Grandy Faculty Award. Dr. Nichole DeWall received the honor at undergraduate commencement exercises held on May 12 at the Lebanon, Ill., campus. Given since 1981, the award is based on commitment to students, the ideals promoted by the university, and community participation.

DeWall, an Edwardsville, Ill., resident, is a tenured associate professor of English who joined the faculty in 2008. She teaches courses in English composition, British literature, dramatic literature, and research but her primary area of expertise and her personal passion is in the teaching of Shakespeare.

"Dr. DeWall engages students actively in the learning process and strives to help them not only to learn, but to delight in the reading of literature," said Maria Page, Alumni Association president. When students were asked to comment about DeWall, they described her as intelligent, positive, engaged, passionate, caring and that "she made Shakespeare fun…which is difficult to do."

An accomplished scholar, DeWall has published 10 book chapters or journal articles and given nearly 30 presentations to professional audiences. She chairs the faculty Contract Renewal, Promotion, and Tenure Committee and the Brown Bag Committee, serves on the planning committee for the Academic Excellence Celebration, and is a past president of university's chapter of the Phi Kappa Phi honor society. She received the Emerson Excellence in Teaching Award for St. Louis area educators in 2016.

DeWall earned a bachelor's degree in English from St. Olaf's College, a master's degree in English from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, and a doctorate in English from Northeastern University.

This year marked the 37th presentation of the prestigious annual award named for Dr. William Norman Grandy, who served from 1952 to 1968 as professor of philosophy and religion, and as dean of students, academic dean and interim president.

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