KU News Release

‘Surprise patrol’ presents Kemper fellowship to another KU professor

• See video, photos of the winners

LAWRENCE — The University of Kansas “surprise patrol” today presented another professor with a $5,000 Kemper Fellowship for Teaching Excellence.

The Kemper fellowships recognize outstanding teachers and advisers at KU as determined by a seven-member selection committee. Now in their 13th year, the awards are supported by $650,000 in gifts from the William T. Kemper Foundation (Commerce Bank, trustee) and $650,000 in matching funds from KU Endowment.

Today’s winner is Hannah Britton, associate professor of women, gender and sexuality studies and political science.

In all, 20 professors will be honored and $100,000 distributed this year as part of the Kemper tradition. Presentations for Lawrence campus faculty members will continue through Tuesday, Sept. 2. Four professors at the KU Medical Center in Kansas City, Kan., also will be honored.

The William T. Kemper Foundation was established in 1989 after the death of the Kansas City, Mo., banking executive and civic leader. The foundation supports Midwest communities and concentrates on initiatives in education, health and human services, civic improvements and the arts.

KU Endowment is the independent, nonprofit organization serving as the official fundraising and fund-management organization for KU. Founded in 1891, KU Endowment is the first foundation of its kind at a U.S. public university.

More about today’s winner:

Hannah Britton
Associate professor of women, gender and sexuality studies and political science
After arriving at KU in 2005, it didn’t take Hannah Britton long to become important in the lives of many KU students. In fact, it seems she has students in her office all the time. “Very quickly after her arrival here, students began to find their way to her door for a variety of advising and special mentoring needs,” say the chairs of political science and women, gender and sexuality studies, in which Britton has a joint appointment. Britton, who earned her doctorate from Syracuse University in 1999, has fulfilled a longtime professional goal through her KU work: teaching a course in feminist political theory. Her chairs report: “In the three years she has been here, Professor Britton has added superb teaching accomplishments at KU to her already superb teaching record. She very quickly developed a strong reputation for dedicated and excellent teaching; and reflecting the nature of her joint appointment, she has done so in two distinct units.”

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