School for New Learning’s Miriam Ben-Yoseph Honored at Washington Banquet

Miriam Ben-Yoseph, associate professor at DePaul University’s School for New Learning (SNL), was named the 2006 Illinois Professor of the Year by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching and the Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE). Her achievements will be recognized at a CASE sponsored luncheon Nov. 16 at the Willard Intercontinental Washington, 1401 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, in Washington, D.C.

The U.S. Professors of the Year competition, which marks its 25th anniversary this year, recognizes faculty who demonstrate an extraordinary dedication to undergraduate teaching.

Ben-Yoseph teaches courses and conducts research in the areas of culture, gender and work. More recently she has focused her teaching and writing on the Holocaust and on cultural homelessness and identity issues.

“It’s not surprising that Professor Ben-Yoseph has been distinguished as Carnegie’s choice for Illinois Professor of the Year,” said Susanne Dumbleton, dean of SNL. “Miriam is an outstanding example of superb teaching, excellent advising and significant scholarship. Comments from students, alumni and colleagues present a person of tremendous imagination, commitment and warm humanity.”

Originally from Romania, Ben-Yoseph received her bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Hebrew University of Jerusalem and her doctorate in French literature from Northwestern University. Before joining DePaul in 1991, she was a vice president in market research and training at Continental Bank.

“The multiple strands that have made up my life and career bridge the gap between the academy, workplace and life in general,” said Ben-Yoseph.

Her students appreciate her integration of experience and emphasis on collaborative learning. “Miriam’s teaching style is to create a collaborative learning environment in which her students not only learn from her, but also from each other as well,” said Laura Giampietro, who has taken three courses with Ben-Yoseph while pursuing a bachelor’s degree in marketing through SNL. “She has the uncanny ability to make you feel safe, while simultaneously pushing and challenging you to ensure that you are getting the most out of your education and yourself.”

Ben-Yoseph credits DePaul for her evolving pedagogy. “DePaul and the School for New Learning have a primary mission of teaching and service. I always felt encouraged to explore and improve the many facets of my teaching and learning. I consider questions more important than answers not only because questions lead to continued inquiry but also because they connect students and teachers as learners.”

CASE established the Professors of the Year program in 1981 and the Carnegie Foundation became a co-sponsor a year later. State winners are selected from faculty members nominated by colleges and universities throughout the country.

Ben-Yoseph lives in Evanston, Ill., with her husband Yoav. Their sons Rorey and Gilad and granddaughters Maddy and Sarah live in Chicago.

Founded in 1898, DePaul is the largest Catholic university in the nation and enrolls more than 23,000 students. DePaul established SNL in 1972 as one of the first programs in the United States tailored to the needs of adult learners.

Note to editors: A high resolution photo is available for downloading at: http://newsroom.depaul.edu/news_release_photos/ben_yoseph_snlsign.jpg .