Professors Grover and Hardy Honored with 2013 John Marshall Award
Spirit of Selfless Service Dean Douglas, at left, joined the audience in applauding Professors Susan Grover and Trotter Hardy, who were honored with the 2013 John Marshall Award. Photo by Odd Moxie Photography
Professors Susan Grover and Trotter Hardy were the 2013 recipients of the John Marshall Award, given during William & Mary Law School's Diploma Ceremony on May 12. This award is bestowed each year to a member, or members, of the faculty or staff who have demonstrated character, leadership, and a spirit of selfless service to the Law School community. The award honors the achievements of John Marshall (1755-1835), the fourth Chief Justice of the United States, who is credited with laying the foundations of American constitutional law. Marshall was among the first students to study law under the tutelage of George Wythe at William & Mary.
Professor Susan Grover
"So many of the members of the Class of 2013 who nominated Professor Grover for this award spoke in such glowing terms about her impact on their lives," said Dean Davison M. Douglas, who presented the awards. "Not surprisingly, the College of William & Mary's Faculty Assembly recently elected Professor Grover president-elect, so she will continue to provide service not just to the Law School but to the entire university in the coming years."
Douglas read excerpts from letters nominating Grover.
Wrote one student: "Professor Grover is truly one of a kind in always putting students first. She came to see me in the hospital when I was sick, and then offered to bring food when I returned home. She truly, truly cares about each and every member of the Law School community's well-being."
Another wrote: "Susan Grover embodies all of the qualities of the John Marshall Award. She is compassionate. She is brilliant. She continually reminds students that we are, in her words, part of a community who cares. When she sees students struggling, whether academically or emotionally, she does not always wait for them to come through her door, though her door is always open, but she seeks them out to make sure that they know that resources are there to help them, and that she cares. She is humble, generous with her time, and quite possibly the best listener who I have ever encountered."
Grover is the University Professor for Teaching Excellence. She was honored at the 2011 Diploma Ceremony with the Walter L. Williams, Jr., Teaching Award.
Professor Trotter Hardy
"Trotter Hardy retires this year after 31 years on the faculty," Douglas said. "I don't know that I have ever seen more of an outpouring of affection from the faculty for another faculty member as I have seen this year on the occasion of Professor Hardy's retirement."
Douglas added, "Professor Hardy has had a major impact on the lives of students in so many different ways: as a particularly skilled developer of the writing skills of our students; as our first intellectual property professor, and as an exceptionally good classroom teacher. He is also someone who was graced with a marvelous sense of humor, and hence, has the ability to defuse any situation, a role he has played often in the past 31 years."
The dean noted that Hardy served for more than a decade as the Law School's dean for technology, and in that role helped faculty capture the benefits of technology in their teaching. He quoted from one of Hardy's nominators: "Beyond his excellent classroom teaching, Professor Hardy has provided tremendous service to the Law School as the dean of technology. He always reaches out to students for their feedback whenever technology changes are being made. Best of all, he is just an all-around great guy."