The 2025 Honors Convocation brought together students, staff, and faculty to celebrate the year’s most exceptional achievements in and beyond the classroom.
The ceremony was held Friday at the Ruth B. Shannon Center for the Performing Arts. Among the night’s honorees was Associate Professor of Environmental Science Christina Bauer, who received the prestigious Harry W. Nerhood Teaching Excellence Award. Named for Professor Emeritus of History Harry W. Nerhood, the award acknowledges overall excellence in teaching.
Bauer, who holds the Chester and Olive McCloskey Chair in Chemistry, has worked in polymers and nanotechnology for more than 15 years. Her recent focus has shifted to environmental sustainability, including research on detecting micro and nanoplastics in ecosystems.
“Like many of my colleagues at Whittier College, I aim to teach students practical skills while challenging them to think independently and creatively about our most pressing scientific and societal issues,” Bauer said. “Receiving the Nerhood Teaching Award is such an honor, and it reaffirms that these methods resonate with students, giving me a confidence boost to continue on this path, even more so in the era of AI.”
Assistant Professor of English Douglas Manuel received the inaugural ACE Award for Teaching Excellence. The award recognizes a faculty member who challenges students to think critically, facilitates conversations about difficult topics, sparks a desire to see their students succeed and learn, and unlocks their potential.
“I'm thankful for the students because they teach me just as much, if not more than, I teach them,” Manuel said.
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