University Award for Excellence in Teaching
John Dreher, 1989
"Not for all does the road from Jersey City to Black Creek lead through distinguished universities in Germany, New York, and Chicago, but that is the route which you, John Dreher, traveled to your 'considerable ecosystem' on Schnabl Road. A student of ancient philosophy with a hobby of organic gardening, you now find yourself residing--improbably but happily--in a town named after the great Roman, Cicero.
As teacher you carry on the tradition of another ancient philosopher whom you research and emulate, the master himself, Plato's Socrates. You build confidence in your students as they learn to speak with careful argument and to write and rewrite under your careful tutelage. You are tough-minded and rigorous, but you also communicate the joy, excitement, and love of learning. You embody that rare combination of Socratic play, systematic precision, and pragmatic application. If, as Spinoza once wrote, 'devotion is love toward an object which astonishes us,' you instill devotion in the hearts of your students. In the lecture hall and in the office you are unwavering in your dedication to cure the mind of 'inadequate or confused ideas.' We are delighted to honor you today with 1989 Excellent Teaching Award."