[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 149 (2003), Part 21]
[Senate]
[Page 28879]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                        TRIBUTE TO DR. DON DUGI

  Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, I rise today to honor a noted and 
dedicated educator, Dr. Don Dugi. Dr. Dugi has been named the 2003 
Kentucky Professor of the Year, awarded by the Council for Advancement 
and Support of Education. Criteria for the award includes support from 
colleagues and extraordinary dedication to teaching demonstrated by 
involvement with undergraduate students.
  Dr. Dugi is a professor of political science at Transylvania 
University in Lexington, KY. He joined the faculty of Transylvania in 
1975 after earning his master's degree in political science from St. 
Mary's College in Texas. After his master's degree, he earned his Ph.D. 
in political science from Purdue University in 1981 where he wrote his 
dissertation on the ``Political Ideology of Kentucky Coal Producers.''
  During his tenure at Transylvania, Dr. Dugi has gained respect from 
both his colleagues and, more importantly, the students to whom he has 
dedicated his time and energy. In fact, the Student Government 
Association recognized his talent and love for teaching and honored him 
with its Teacher of the Year award. Dr. Dugi became the faculty advisor 
to both the Student Government Association and pre-law students in 
1975, roles he continues today. Each May, he teaches a class to prepare 
students for the law school admissions test. He receives no 
compensation and continues to teach his regular classes. This is but 
one example of Dr. Dugi's selfless commitment to the students at 
Transylvania.
  Colleagues also benefit from Dr. Dugi's commitment to excellence. The 
administration at Transylvania recognized Dr. Dugi's talents and 
awarded him a Bingham Fellowship for Excellence in Teaching in 1989. In 
1998, he became the first recipient of the prestigious Bingham-Young 
Professorship. With this honor, Dr. Dugi developed a program that 
allowed his colleagues to investigate the concept of race as both an 
intellectual and an instructive concern. For this purpose, he organized 
a variety of events including a film series, lecturers, performers, and 
artists. The entire Transylvania campus benefited from Dr. Dugi's hard 
work.
  An accomplished political scientist and educator, Dr. Dugi is a true 
leader in the field of political science and education, more generally, 
and should be commended for his unwavering dedication to Transylvania 
University, its faculty, staff, and its students. I ask each of my 
colleagues to join me in paying tribute to Dr. Don Dugi, not only for 
the 2003 Kentucky Professor of the Year Award, but for all that he 
gives to his students, his community, and his Nation.

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