Megan Sweeney, associate professor in DAAS and English and Director of DAAS Undergraduate Studies, has been awarded an Arthur F. Thurnau Professorship. The Thurnau Professorships are named after Arthur F. Thurnau, a student at the University of Michigan from 1902 to 1904, and are supported by the Thurnau Charitable Trust that was established through his will. Mr. Thurnau wished to return to the University something of the value he gained from being an undergraduate on this campus. In that spirit and in his memory, the Thurnau Professorships recognize and reward faculty for outstanding contributions to undergraduate education. This program is designed to honor those tenured faculty whose commitment to and investment in undergraduate teaching has had a demonstrable impact on the intellectual development and lives of their students. The exceptional students coming to the University of Michigan challenge us to create a rich and diverse learning environment in which our very best faculty are an integral part of the undergraduate educational experience. The Thurnau Professorships help to recognize and reward outstanding faculty who devote their attention to this important endeavor.

Five tenured faculty members are designated annually as Thurnau Professors and hold this title for the remainder of their careers at U-M. They receive a $20,000 grant to support activities that will enhance their teaching (e.g., travel, books, equipment, GSA support).