Joyce V. Millen is the winner of this year’s AAA/Oxford University Press Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching of Anthropology. When Millen first began teaching at Willamette in fall 2006, it was obvious she was a gifted teacher and research fellow, whose capacity to inspire leadership is truly remarkable.
Joyce is an initiator and a catalyst for ideas and actions. At Harvard, she conceived of and helped design and initiate the Global Health Leadership Program to prepare future physicians for work in resource-poor environments and to create a cadre of advocates for social change.
While shouldering her heavy research and administrative tasks within the Institute, Joyce’s first focus is almost always on her students, for many of whom she is not only an intellectual authority but a trusted friend and source of ethical inspiration and guidance.
These are but two of the quotes from colleagues included in her nomination packet with many more from students.
In short, in bringing Millen into the Department of Anthropology at Willamette University, it was clear the quality of her teaching and research would be matched by the passion and dedication she brings to her role as a mentor. By the end of her first semester at Willamette, she had established herself as a teacher for whom there are waiting lists in every class.
As a scholar and field researcher, Millen is steeped in the history and culture of Africa. As a teacher and researcher, she has brought that body of knowledge to Willamette University, to our immense benefit. Millen has mastered the art of empowering others to find their own pathways toward knowledge, scholarly independence, and beneficent activity.
Learn more about the inner workings of the AAA in the Association Business section of Anthropology News.
