University Distinguished Professor Albrecht Classen, photo taken by Carolyn Classen

I honestly don’t like to brag which is why I didn’t inform our readers that my husband, University of Arizona Distinguished Professor Albrecht Classen was named Arizona Professor of the Year by the national Carnegie Foundation on November 15. But then after 3 articles in other news sources, I figured I better post it as well:

Arizona Daily Wildcat, 11/14/12: http://www.wildcat.arizona.edu/article/2012/11/classen-awards-teacher-arizona-111412

UA News, 11/21/12: http://uanews.org/story/uas-albrecht-classen-named-arizona-professor-year

Arizona Daily Star, 11/26/12: http://azstarnet.com/news/local/education/college/ua-s-classen-named-state-s-top-prof-awarded-carnegie/article_90515173-0bfc-5d8b-8b40-43ed42769e2a.html

There were 30 state winners of this 2012 Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching honor, plus in the District of Columbia: http://www.usprofessorsoftheyear.org/Documents/POY/2012/POY12_StateWinners_PG8.pdf

All I can add to these articles is that my husband is an international scholar in medieval studies, and that he does have a profound passion for teaching college students. He spends a LOT of time planning his teaching, advising undergraduate students in the German Studies Dept., and he has even led summer study abroad medieval tours to Europe since 2004.

More here at his website: http://aclassen.faculty.arizona.edu/. He was even mentioned twice on the popular nationwide Jeopardy TV show this year (the answer is below, the clue to the question is on his website).

He will be interviewed on the Buckmaster Show on Wednesday December 5, so listen to KVOI 1030 AM on the radio then, starting at 12:30 p.m.

One of the nicest things he received due to this award (which touched his heart) was a personalized cake from the honor students at the Yuma residence hall last week, where he serves as Faculty Fellow (adviser/mentor). Photo above courtesy of Resident Assistant Bradley Shane.

P.S. We’ve been married 28 years so I do completely understand his passion for teaching, as we met while he was a struggling grad student at Oxford University in the United Kingdom. He got his Ph.D. from the University of Virginia (Cavaliers) and then we moved here to the University of Arizona.