Marie Orton Named Truman's 2006 Educator of the Year

Marie Orton, associate professor of Italian, was announced as the 2006 Educator of the Year at the 17th annual banquet May 2.

Orton began her career at Truman in 2000. She received her bachelor’s degree from Brigham Young University and both her master’s and doctorate degrees from the University of Chicago. Orton previously taught at Duke University and has taught at the Joseph Baldwin Academy every summer since 2001. Having earned a Fullbright Research Fellowship, her primary areas of research are contemporary Italy and Italian cultural studies, autobiography, holocaust literature and immigration literature. Orton is also a member of Phi Kappa Phi and the adviser to the Italian Club (CIAO).

This year 102 students nominated a record-breaking 66 faculty members for the Educator of the Year award. The eight-member student committee first narrowed the group down to 12 semi-finalists and then to six finalists. Finally, after reviewing the written responses by the nominated faculty members, getting input from the students in their classes and observing the faculty members in their classrooms, the committee selected this year’s honoree.

Students from Student Senate, the Pershing Society and Phi Kappa Phi serve on the Educator of the Year committee.