Myron and Margaret Winegarden Visiting Professorship
2009-10 Myron and Margaret Winegarden Visiting Professor - Christopher Paul Curtis
Christopher Paul Curtis was born in Flint, Michigan, the setting of many of his books. He was a great reader, but as a youth, he could not find books that “were about me.” After high school, Curtis spent 13 years on the assembly line of Flint’s historic Fisher Body Plant. He attended college at night and wrote during his breaks to escape the noise of the factory. Christopher Paul Curtis made an outstanding debut in children’s literature with The Watsons Go to Birmingham – 1963, named a Newbery Honor Book and a Coretta Scott King Honor Book. His second novel, Bud, Not Buddy, won the Newbery Medal and the Coretta Scott King Award. Christopher Paul Curtis will be fulfilling his appointment as the 2009-10 Winegarden Visiting Professor during parts of both the Fall and Winter Semesters. He lives in Windsor, Ontario, Canada, with his wife, Kaysandra, and their two children, Steven and Cydney. (Nominated by Associate Dean and Professor of Education Rose Casement, School of Education and Human Services; and Chair and Professor of English Fred Svoboda, College of Arts and Sciences) For additional information regarding Christopher Paul Curtis, click here.
One of the many and varied activities that 2009-10 Winegarden Professor Christopher Paul Curtis has been involved with while on the Flint campus was the Christopher Paul Curtis Writing Adventure where over 400 fourth grade students from the Flint Community Schools visited campus to hear first-hand from our most prestigious visiting professor. Students were challenged with going back to their respective schools to engage in a writing competition where one student from each school will be selected as having the best story and then would compete against the other 17 schools.
History and Application Process of the Winegarden Professorship
The Myron and Margaret Winegarden Visiting Professorship was established in 2001 through a generous gift from the estate of Margaret Winegarden. This gift enables the University of Michigan-Flint to bring individuals of national and international reputation to our campus.
The guidelines for the Professorship specify that the candidate contribute to the understanding and appreciation for the sciences and humanities in the context of the emerging global world economy. Winegarden Visiting Professors will be expected to spend a significant amount of time on our campus during the fall or winter semester. They will teach and/or interact with classes, participate in meetings with students and faculty, conduct lectures for students, faculty, staff and the community, offer seminars and colloquia for faculty, etc.
Candidates for this Visiting Professorship need not hold a traditional faculty appointment; however, they should be nationally or internationally acclaimed for their professional work. The Provost, in consultation with the Vice Chancellor for Institutional Advancement, will appoint a faculty selection committee to determine the successful nomination.
The open window to submit applications normally occurs in the spring and will be announced by the Office of the Provost. To submit a nomination, please complete the nomination form and mail the completed form to Sue Fabbro, Office of the Provost, sefabbro@umflint.edu, 229 University Pavilion. The only supporting documentation needed is a brief biographical sketch and a statement addressing the question, “How would the nominee contribute to the understanding of and appreciation for the sciences and humanities in the context of the emerging global world economy?” Please contact the nominee to be sure they would be interested in coming to our campus and to get a sense of the remuneration they would need. Recipients typically spend the equivalent of one month on campus, which could occur by several visits during the semester or an extended stay.
