--The Class of 1951 Civilian Faculty Award for Excellence in Teaching, given in honor of Professor Theodore J. Benac, is presented annually to the civilian faculty member at the Naval Academy who has exhibited continued excellence in teaching and sustained contributions to the intellectual development of midshipmen. The award consists of two plaques, one awarded to the individual and one placed on permanent display at the Naval Academy. Accompanying each award is a cash prize provided through an endowment by the USNA Class of 1951.

--In 1998, this award was renamed in honor of Theodore J. Benac, an ebullient individual with an infectious laugh and a great love for mathematics and the midshipmen he taught. Dr. Benac received his Ph.D. in Mathematics from Yale University in 1941 where he studied algebra under Oystein Ore. He taught at the Naval Academy from 1 July 1941 until his death on 9 November 1997, an incredible span of 56 years. Dr. Benac served as Mathematics Department Chairman from 1976 to 1982. In 1989, he was named the outstanding Teacher at the Naval Academy. The following year, Dr. Benac was named the outstanding Teacher in the state of Maryland. Dr. Benac served as Grand Marshall for the Academic Procession at all Naval Academy graduations from 1972 until 1997.

-- Each year, the recipient of this award demonstrated the abilities to inspire midshipmen to high levels of academic accomplishment and to improve the level of classroom instruction at the Naval Academy.

Past award recipients include:

Year	Recipient	Department
2008	Associate Professor Bradley E. Bishop	Weapons and Systems Engineering
2007	Professor Sylvain Guarda	Language Studies
2006	Professor Clementine G. K. Fujimura	Language Studies
2005	Professor Phyllis Culham	History
2004	Professor David L. Kriebel	Naval Architecture and Ocean Engineering
2003	Professor George Nakos	Mathematics
2002	Professor Nancy W. Ellenberger	History
2001	Professor Neil Berman	English
2000	Professor Robert N. Shelby	Physics
1999	Professor E. Eugene Mitchell, Jr.	Weapons and Systems Engineering
1998	Professor Carol G. Crawford	Mathematics
1997	Professor Larry V. Thompson	History
1996	Professor David A. White	English
1995	Professor Boyd A. Waite	Chemistry
1994	Professor John D. Yarbro	Language Studies
1993	Professor Edward Koubek	Chemistry
1992	Professor Molly B. Tinsley	English
1991	Professor Richard P. Abels	History
1990	Professor Stephen E. Frantzich	Political Science
1989	Professor Theodore J. Benac	Mathematics
1988	Professor Craig L. Symonds	History
1987	Professor Peter F. Wiggins	Naval Systems Engineering

Back to Faculty Awards for Excellence

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