Every year, when new graduate students in the psychology program attend Welcome Weekend, Professor John Campbell begins his presentation by striding into the room holding The Book against his chest.

This book, which Campbell compiled himself, contains the name, year, and dissertation title of every doctorate granted in psychology since 1893. He then reads the names of some of the people contained in The Book, who are among the most important and influential psychologists in the field.

He looks at all the students in the room. Someday, he says, their names can be in The Book, too.

It leaves them "tingling in anticipation of starting graduate studies at Minnesota," as one student described it.

Campbell is not only a professor. He's also the department's director of graduate studies (DGS), a post he's held for 30 years. And this year, he's one of two winners of the Best DGS Award, given by the Graduate School May 14.

The DGS is a key to every program's smooth functioning and the long-term success of high quality students. For each of the 132 graduate programs at the University of Minnesota, there's a DGS who coordinates all graduate student activities--recruitment, admissions, financial aid, degree-progress tracking, fellowship nominations, and more.

"The University of Minnesota psychology program's top-ten national ranking is by no means a happy accident," said Gail Dubrow, vice provost and dean of the Graduate School, honoring Campbell at the reception.

But for "proof that longevity is not the sole criterion," Dubrow went on, the other Best DGS Award winner this year is Lois Cucullu, DGS for the Department of English for just under two years.

Since becoming DGS, Cucullu has developed new approaches to pedagogy, including a completely reimagined introductory seminar that is evolving into a distinctive opportunity for building community among English program faculty, graduate students, and undergraduates. She has worked to reinvent the program's recruitment program. And last year, every graduate was placed in a full-time, tenure-track position--especially impressive considering that the national average for placement of English Ph.D.s is only 30 percent.

Best DGS Assistant Awards

The Graduate School also honors DGS assistants, those departmental staff members who play a primary role in the quality of students' graduate experience. This year's winners are Lisa Hubinger and Gail Kalli, each a DGS Assistant for six years.

DGS Assistants are the center of activity for most communications among the graduate programs, prospective and enrolled students, and the Graduate School. Often, they're the first contact for a prospective student and the last for a graduate.

Hubinger has been the DGS Assistant for two programs: comparative and molecular bioscience, and veterinary medicine. Her work contributed to the successful establishment of the College of Veterinary Medicine's Office of Graduate Programs, no small feat considering that it blended four separate departments with dissimilar cultures, processes, and procedures, her nominators said. Her personal approach to student services was clear from the number of students who came out to celebrate her award.

Kalli has served as the DGS Assistant for the plant biological sciences. Her contributions have included organizing two projects that were so successful they became annual events: a workshop at the Itasca Biological Research Station for incoming graduate students, and an off-campus retreat featuring student posters and presentations along with community-building activities.

"Community building is important for all graduate programs, but there are special challenges for interdisciplinary programs," said Dubrow. "Gail Kalli plays a major role in establishing community among faculty and students from the 10 departments that comprise plant biological sciences."

About the awards

The Best DGS and Best DGS Assistant awards, established in 2003, include an honorarium of $1,000 and a certificate. They are awarded every two years. For more information, see Recognition.

--Karen Starry and Gayla Marty