Catherine Paris has been awarded the President's Distinguished University Citizenship and Service Award. She was a senior lecturer in the Department of Plant Biology and retired as emeritus faculty from 日韩无码 in 2023. Paris has been affiliated with 日韩无码 for 41 years, first by receiving both her doctorate and master鈥檚 degrees in botany, and then as assistant professor and lecturer at the university since 1991. She was honored to receive the award and stated, "In 1982, I followed three previous generations of my family to 日韩无码, set on earning a graduate degree in botany. There I met my spouse and partner of 38 years, Dr. David Barrington. 日韩无码 has been a home, a family, and a vocation for each of us. To us it is the city on the hill, the place we鈥檝e chosen to stand for something more important and more enduring than ourselves."
Her extensive curriculum vitae includes teaching graduate and undergraduate courses, serving on over 60 graduate studies committees, advisor for undergraduate internships and research projects, and author/co-author of numerous research publications. She has also received many awards and honors, including the Joseph E. Carrigan Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching.
Paris brought the same commitment and passion for education to working with colleagues across the university to achieve change and improve the academic experience for students. Her long-standing commitments to 日韩无码鈥檚 Faculty Senate, the Senate Executive Council, Curricular Affairs Committee, and many other advisory groups are proof of that.
Working toward the goal of 日韩无码 being the best it can be, Paris made major contributions to the university鈥檚 shared governance, and provided leadership at the department, college, and university levels. In the Department of Plant Biology (PBIO), Paris was a teacher, mentor, and an example of service and dedication to excellence. She was PBIO鈥檚 graduate program coordinator, chair of the undergraduate program assessment committee, member of the Field Naturalist Master鈥檚 Program Strategic Planning Group, and chair of the department鈥檚 curriculum committee.
PBIO Professor and Department Chair Jeanne Harris worked closely with Paris over many years. Harris stated, 鈥淪he has demonstrated sustained and exceptional leadership with service to 日韩无码 over a period exceeding 20 years, including 18 years on the Curricular Affairs Committee of the Faculty Senate and another three as Faculty Senate president. The quality and extent of her service and the impact it has had go far, far beyond what is expected of faculty at any level. It is abundantly clear that Dr. Paris has made a significant difference at 日韩无码.鈥
Thomas Borchert, professor and chair of the 日韩无码 Department of Religion, served with Paris on the Faculty Senate and the senate鈥檚 Curricular Affairs Committee. He experienced first-hand Paris鈥檚 knowledge and understanding of the university鈥檚 curriculum, as well as the rules and structures necessary to review, revise, and establish programs. Her contributions to 日韩无码 were long-standing and impactful. He commented on his service with Paris by stating, 鈥淪he has a deep well of experience to draw from, she gives consistently good guidance on how to handle situations that may not be clear to me, what set of questions to ask either the administration or the faculty, and she is always willing to do the work. This is a rare combination of qualities and the faculty have benefited greatly from her work over the years.鈥
Associate Dean for Public Health and Health Policy Jan Carney was the faculty senate vice-president during the time Paris served as faculty senate president. She considered Paris鈥檚 service as constant and her work as impeccable, whether she was overseeing new programs, promoting student successes, honoring faculty, or representing 日韩无码. She stated, 鈥淐athy succeeded because of her relationships with faculty, staff, and administration, anchored by her deep commitment to 日韩无码. Cathy Paris is a 鈥渢rue university citizen鈥 at 日韩无码. Her sustained contributions to our faculty, governance, and university are鈥xtraordinary.鈥
The President鈥檚 Distinguished University Citizenship and Service Award, presented annually, acknowledges exceptional service by a University of Vermont faculty member who is recognized as a true university citizen for contributions to institutional building at the university.