Reflections Magazine Issue #58 - Summer 2002 | Page 6

From the Heights 6 Excellence on Campus Outstanding Teachers and Incredible Staff By Debbie Myers his spring at Honors Convocation, the Siena community gathered to celebrate a year of excellence. Renato Gonzalez, Carl Kaster and Ann Lauderdale were honored with Siena’s highest teaching award, the Sister Eileen K. Rice, OP Award for Outstanding Teaching. Dawn Brooks and Dean Van Horn were the 2002 recipients of the Staff Excellence Award. Renato Gonzalez, professor of Spanish, has coordinated Siena’s Spanish and foreign language program since joining the faculty in 1989. He also has put enormous energy into Siena’s semester in Mexico program, Academic Dean Sharon Weber, OP, said in presenting the award. The citation recognized Renato for fostering “an atmosphere that promotes confidence and understanding” and for stretching stude