A Message from the Dean
Dear CAMD Community,
I am pleased to announce the two winners of this year’s Excellence in Teaching Award: Carlene Hempel, Lecturer (Journalism) and Susan Picillo, Lecturer (Communication Studies). It is a pleasure to celebrate their dedication, hard work, and commitment to students.
Professor Hempel has been a practicing journalist for twenty years and a full-time faculty member in the School of Journalism since 2003. During her years at Northeastern, she has taught a range of courses that include Journalism 1 and 2, Enterprise 1 and 2, Magazine Writing, and Global Reporting. Additionally, she has run a highly successful Dialogue of Civilization Program, traveling each summer to different countries: Egypt, Syria, Qatar, Jordan, Turkey, and Spain. Professor Hempel’s students remark on the high standards she sets, her exacting work ethic, and her devotion to mentoring. One student’s description perfectly captures the sentiment expressed by so many, “As much as she is a hard-hitting, no-excuses, tough-grader with the highest of expectations, Carlene is also the most passionate and caring professor I’ve had in my five years of university." As the award committee noted in their report, “she acts as a tough editor and tenacious advocate for her students, preparing them for a demanding career as professional journalists.”
Professor Picillo—actor, voice over artist, director, acting coach, and scriptwriter—joined the Northeastern faculty in 1999. She has had a positive impact on a wide range of students, primarily through teaching five courses in regular rotation: Public Speaking, Communication and Storytelling, Voice and Articulation, Presentation, Style and Professional Communication, and Voice Over Artist. Her students remark regularly on her enthusiasm, accessibility, and ability to create a positive learning environment. Moreover, this summer she developed a highly successful new class for the College of Arts, Media and Design called Creativity Lab. Said one of her students, “In a non-dramatic way this class has changed me for the rest of my life…I am eternally grateful for her generous and nurturing spirit which allowed me to excel in this course.” The award committee summarized their evaluation of Professor Picillo with this statement, “Perhaps most impressive is her students’ reports of the deep admiration they have for her and the connections they develop with their peers in her classroom. Several students report seeking out as many of her courses as possible, and they maintain long relationships with her after they graduate.”
Finally, I would also like to acknowledge the award committee: Jonathan Carr (Theatre), Joseph Reagle (Communication Studies), and Shuishan Yu (Architecture) for their hard work and dedication.
Please join me in congratulating Professors Hempel and Picillo.
Sincerely,
Elizabeth Hudson, PhD
Dean, College of Arts, Media and Design
Northeastern University
The College of Arts, Media and Design is a vibrant community of scholars, makers, and practitioners dedicated to exploration and innovation in communication, design, and the arts.
northeastern.edu/camd
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