SLU-Madrid's McCabe Recognized as Ring Award Winner

12/11/2018

Noted for her passion for students, SLU-Madrid’s Anne McCabe, Ph.D., has been selected as the winner of SLU’s 2018 Nancy McNeir Ring Award for Excellence in Teaching. McCabe, who teaches English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL), communication and Spanish courses, was noted for her devotion to teaching and her ability to impact students’ lives.

“Seeing such devotion to her profession and her students is, from a student’s point of view, incredibly motivating and reassuring,” a student wrote in nominating her.

Another student wrote that “Anne McCabe changed my way of thought and without her I would not have been able to achieve quite as much with the art of language. She taught me that writing is a journey on which everyone should embark.”

As part of the honor, McCabe will give the keynote address at this year’s Midyear Commencement on Friday, Dec. 14, in St. Louis.

McCabe, a researcher in systemic functional linguistics, teaches writing, linguistics, public speaking, and ESL courses at SLU-Madrid. She has a joint appointment in the Departments of English and Communication in Spain. She also teaches in the Spanish program. She joined SLU-Madrid’s faculty in 1990, and has served in various leadership roles including as department chair, division director and associate dean. She has also served as a member of the University’s advisory board for SLU’s Reinert Center for Transformative Teaching and Learning.

McCabe’s research achievements includes over fifty publications, including her textbook, An Introduction to Linguistics and Language Studies (Equinox), which has been published in multiple editions. She has delivered keynote addresses at conferences and led workshops in Spain, in the United States, the United Kingdom, across Europe and around the world.

“We’re thrilled that Dr. McCabe – as a member of the Madrid Campus faculty – received this honor!” Paul Vita, Ph.D., director and academic dean of SLU-Madrid, said. “It’s well deserved. She combines positive energy and professionalism with compassion and common sense in all of her interactions with colleagues.”

The McNeir Ring Award was established in 1966 by SLU’s chapter of Alpha Sigma Nu, the national Jesuit honor society, to acknowledge faculty members who display special dedication to students. The award was named in honor of Nancy McNeir Ring, the University’s first dean of women, because of her devotion to the welfare of students. The award was given each year from 1966 through 2008, and was reinstated as an annual award in 2016. In keeping with the tradition of the award, Alpha Sigma Nu students administered the nomination and selection process this year.