Three Linfield College professors have been selected as recipients of faculty awards at the college. Tom Love, professor of anthropology, Jesús Ilundáin, associate professor of philosophy, and Deborah Olsen, instructor in history, have each been honored.
Love is the recipient of the Allen and Pat Kelley Faculty Scholar Award, recognizing outstanding scholarly achievement. He is the author of three recent publications, including a monograph, “Ni Chicha ni Limonada: An Anthropological History of the ‘Independent Republic of Arequipa’,” from the War of the Pacific to the Shining Path. The book centers on the previously unexamined cultural legacies of the unsuccessful post-independence effort to create a central Andean state, centered on Arequipa and the altiplano, fueled by regional politics and ongoing racial attitudes characteristic of the central Andes. Love is also co-editor of “Cultures of Energy: Power, Practices, Technologies,” and the author of a journal article, “From SAIS Atahualpa to ‘Sois la luz del mundo’: A case study of religion, energy and the state in rural development in northern Peru.” Love received his bachelor’s degree from Columbia University and went on to earn his master’s and doctorate from the University of California, Davis.
Ilundáin is the recipient of the Samuel H. Graf Faculty Achievement Award in recognition of his outstanding teaching, scholarship and service to the Linfield community. He has increased the visibility of Linfield in the philosophical community, supported and expanded the research of several Linfield students and alumni, developed innovative teaching techniques and brought prominent scholars to campus to inspire debate and action. He is honored for creatively supporting students’ philosophical sense of wonder, and helping them make connections with their passions and other course work. In addition to his work with students this year, Ilundáin is the author of five publications including articles and book chapters, plus five contributions of book reviews and encyclopedia entries. During his upcoming sabbatical, he will write a monograph, “Skillful Striving Embodied Cognition, Active Pursuits, and Reflective Cultivation of Excellence.”
Olsen is the recipient of the Edith Green Distinguished Professor Award, recognizing excellence in the classroom and contributions to the intellectual growth and academic success of students. Olsen, the former director of academic advising, has also served as competitive scholarships advisor at Linfield. She has boosted Linfield’s track record in the prestigious Fulbright competition by meticulously mentoring students through the application process. She also provided extraordinary service to the college as director of the Freshman Colloquium program that won national recognition under her supervision. Olsen is an active scholar in American women’s history and related subjects. Her article on women’s separatism and the Lewis and Clark Exposition of 1905 won the 2009 Joel Palmer Award from the Oregon Historical Society. She recently retired from Linfield after 20 years of service.
