Mitchell Lewis Selected For Georgia Harkness Professorship

Dr. Mitchell Lewis, Associate Professor of English, was selected for the Georgia Harkness Professorship.

"I am delighted and honored to be recognized," said Lewis following the January 2022 announcement. "The Harkness Professorship has a wonderful history at the College, and it's very gratifying to be part of it."

The professorship was established by Vernon and Frances Getman Slater '35 in honor of Dr. Georgia E. Harkness, who taught at the College from 1922 to 1937. Harkness, a theologian and philosopher, was among the most significant women in American religious history and an internationally known pacifist. She was a strong proponent of the ecumenical movement and one of the leading laypersons of the Methodist Church. She was a Phi Beta Kappa graduate of Cornell University, and she went on to earn an MA, MRE and PhD from Boston University.

Currently, the professorship is a five-year, renewable term, and the recipient must be a senior faculty member in English literature, philosophy, religion or theatre.

"For me," said Lewis, "the Harkness Professorship testifies to the historical importance of the humanities at the College and the positive impact they've had on our students and alumni."

On faculty since 2003, Lewis has exemplified the dedicated pursuit of knowledge important to Harkness. He believes that reading literature is one of the most rewarding and meaningful ways to explore the human condition, offering a much-needed alternative to our increasing discontent with digital media.

Lewis said he hopes that the Harkness Professorship will continue to bring visibility to the humanities at the College and help ensure their long-term future for generations to come.