Monday, March 20, 2017

Ellen Fitzpatrick, professor of history, has been selected as the 2017 recipient of the Lindberg Award, given annually to the outstanding teacher-scholar in the College of Liberal Arts.

Professor Fitzpatrick was appointed to the UNH faculty in 1997 as associate professor after serving eight years on the faculty of Harvard. She previously taught at MIT and Wellesley. She earned her Ph.D. at Brandeis.

Professor Fitzpatrick specializes in modern American political and intellectual history. She is the author or editor of nine books. Her most recent book, “The Highest Glass Ceiling: Women’s Quest for the American Presidency” (Harvard UP, 2016) was excerpted in The New Yorker, selected as an Editor’s Choice by the New York Times and named a notable nonfiction book of 2016 by the Washington Post. Her previous book, “Letters to Jackie: Condolences from a Grieving Nation” (Ecco, 2010), was a New York Times bestseller and the basis of a highly regarded documentary film by Bill Couturie entitled “Letters to Jackie: Remembering President Kennedy.” Professor Fitzpatrick served as associate producer.

Professor Fitzpatrick’s recent scholarship has had broad public appeal, and she has fully embraced the role of public intellectual. She has been interviewed as an expert on modern American political history by the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, the Los Angeles Times, USA Today, the Boston Globe, the Washington Post, CBS’s Face the Nation, National Public Radio and has appeared frequently on the PBS News Hour. Within the last year, she has contributed opinion pieces to the New York Times, the Washington Post, the Los Angeles Times and CNN online. Additionally, she is an active public speaker at museums, universities and other venues. In recognition of her tireless contributions to public discourse, she is a past recipient of UNH’s Award for Excellence in Public Service.

In addition to her vigorous scholarly activities, Professor Fitzpatrick dedicates herself every year to first-year students, expertly guiding them through a survey of modern U.S. history course, and to budding historians in the major gateway course. She is equally adept at teaching upper-level undergraduate and graduate seminars, as well as directing a number of theses and dissertations. According to colleagues, she is a creative and caring teacher, remembered by students, even many years later, for her particular eloquence and deep knowledge.

The annual Gary Lindberg Award was established by the College of Liberal Arts in 1986 in memory of Professor Gary Lindberg of the Department of English. Professor Lindberg was an exceptional scholar and outstanding teacher whose dedication and service to the University of New Hampshire as well as the wider community exemplified the highest academic standards and ideals.

In memory of Professor Lindberg and as a means of publicly supporting superior faculty accomplishment, the College of Liberal Arts annually recognizes one truly outstanding scholar and teacher within the College. The recipient is invited to present a lecture to the public during the following academic year.