TDPS Professor Faedra Carpenter awarded Graduate Faculty Mentor of the Year
May 11, 2016
Congratulations to TDPS Professor Faedra Chatard Carpenter on being awarded Graduate Faculty Mentor of the Year from the UMD Graduate School!
Congratulations to TDPS Professor Faedra Chatard Carpenter on being awarded Graduate Faculty Mentor of the Year from the UMD Graduate School! She received the award at the Annual Graduate School Fellowship Award Celebration, held on May 12th at the Stamp Student Union.
Dr. Carpenter was nominated by her graduate students for her exceptional work in mentoring them through the TDPS MA and PhD programs. She was nominated by a cohort of students, including MA/PhD candidates Khalid Long, Les Gray, Jeff Kaplan, Allan Davis, and Leticia Ridley. She is known for demanding rigorous and thoughtful scholarship, while at the same time remaining compassionate and understanding of graduate student struggles. Khalid Long says of his advisor,
Dr. Faedra Carpenter exemplifies the qualities of a determined mentor. Dr. Carpenter goes above and beyond to communicate with her students to provide mentorship beyond the classroom. Dr. Carpenter is invested in making sure that her students feel welcome. Moreover, if Dr. Carpenter observes a student is in need of guidance, she is quick to make an intervention when necessary. Her support and vigor for her students and their success has been an invaluable source of encouragement. It is well known (and sometimes unacknowledged) that the pursuit of graduate school can be isolating while emotionally and intellectually trying. Dr. Carpenter combats these factors. She holistically recognizes her students as people—not just students—as she has been and continues to be a dependable site of uplift, reassurance, and instrumental guidance.
Congratulations, Dr. Carpenter, and thank you for all of your service!
Dr. Carpenter (second from left) at the Annual Graduate School Award Celebration with graduate students (from left to right): Jeff Kaplan (PhD candidate), Leticia Ridley (MA student), and Khalid Long (PhD candidate)