Derek Chang was one of four Cornell faculty members who received the Kendall S. Carpenter Memorial Advising Awards, which recognize sustained and distinguished contributions of professorial faculty and senior lecturers to undergraduate advising.
The awards were established by Stephen Ashley ’62, MBA ’64, in honor of his adviser, Kendall S. Carpenter, a professor of business management at Cornell from 1954 until his death at the age of 50 in 1967.
“Never has it been more important for students to be guided by faculty who are so deeply committed to their intellectual growth and personal well-being,” said Lisa Nishii, vice provost for undergraduate education. “These faculty are exceptional role models, not just for the students they have advised but for their colleagues.”
Derek Chang, associate professor in the Department of History and interim director of the Asian American Studies Program in the College of Arts and Sciences (A&S), was described by his nominator as “a vital resource for students of color … He offers empathy and insight for these students at Cornell.” Wrote one of his advisees: “I doubted my capabilities at Cornell and not even my parents could have given me the feeling of acceptance and reassurance that Derek did when he unconditionally believed in me. He has saved my life in ways he does not even know and pushed me to find myself as an individual which is a lesson I will value for the rest of my life.”
Excerpted from the Cornell Chronicle: Four from faculty receive Carpenter Advising Awards
