Jean Wolski, of the Theater Arts Department, has been selected faculty laureate for the 2003-2004 school year to act as the university’s spokesperson on the importance of general and liberal education.

“It’s an honor to be chosen, to be honest about it,” Wolski said.

As one of her roles as laureate, Wolski said she will deliver the keynote address to freshman at the 2003 convocation Wednesday.

She will advise freshmen to “get excited about not only being at Eastern, but about the idea of learning diverse subjects, not just learning what is needed to get a job.”

Wolski said she will “give the best advice I got when I came to school.”

“To allow yourself to explore as many different areas as possible; it’s a real opportunity to do that in your college years,” Wolski said.

Fellow professors and faculty senate members of Wolski said she is devoted to her students.

Jerry Eisenhower, of the Theater Arts Department, said Wolski has taught a variety of courses.

“She’s very inspiring, has a good sense of humor and gets material across well,” Eisenhower said.

Wolski tries very hard to get material across, and when the material needs to be presented another way, she does it, Eisenhower said.

“Jean Wolski is clearly a dynamic and passionate professor,” said sociology professor Reed Benedict, a Faculty Senate member with Wolski. “She genuinely enjoys teaching.”

The faculty laureate is awarded once a year and this is the sixth year, Wolski said.

Bonnie Irwin of the English department was the first person to receive the award and last year English professor David Raybin received the award.

Wolski said she had to write a brief statement of her philosophy of general education and Bonnie Irwin had submitted a nomination for her.

Wolski’s keynote address at the Fall Convocation will take place at 7 p.m. Wednesday in the Grand Ballroom of the Martin Luther King Jr. University Union.

Campus editor Jennifer Chiariello can be reached at [email protected]