Horning Professor for the Humanities, Dr. Anita Guerrini, retired this month after 10 years of service at Oregon State University.
Her retirement was celebrated with a reception filled with friends, colleagues, and current and former students.
The official ceremonies began with opening remarks from Dr. Nicole von Germeten, the current director of the School of History, Philosophy, and Religion at Oregon State University. Dr. von Germeten, spoke of Dr. Guerrini’s illustrious career.
Following the opening remarks, Emeritus Professor of History, Dr. Lisa Sarasohn, shared her enthusiasm for Dr. Guerrini’s newest book, Pfizer Prize winner, The Courtiers’ Anatomists.
After Dr. Sarasohn spoke, four distinguished colleagues of Dr. Guerrini shared a bit about their relationship with Dr. Guerrini.
Dr. Barbara Canavan, Dr. Guerrini’s first Ph.D. student from Oregon State University, shared how Dr. Guerrini’s diverse expertise helped her to hone and to develop research for her dissertation, for which she has been eternally grateful.
Dr. Jacob Darwin Hamblin, Professor of History at Oregon State University, shared details about his long working relationship with Dr. Guerrini. Dr. Hamblin jokingly thanked Dr. Guerrini for “taking pity on him” while they were both at the University of California at Santa Barbara which really helped launch his career. Dr. Hamblin emphasized Dr. Guerrini’s exceptional reliability and devotion to her colleagues and students.
Dr. Joan Gross, Professor of Anthropology at Oregon State University, shared her collaborative efforts with Dr. Guerrini in the Food in Culture and Social Justice program, which Dr. Guerrini helped to create. For Dr. Gross, Dr. Guerrini’s willingness to work with the program, help it grow, and advocate for the program has been an “unrecognized chore,” and something for which Dr. Guerrini should be very proud.
Closing remarks were given by Dr. David Robinson, Emeritus Professor of English at Oregon State University and Emeritus Director at The Center for the Humanities at Oregon State University. Dr. Robinson commended Dr. Guerrini’s astute judgement and extraordinary leadership skills and praised her for how well she has upheld the ideas of humanistic beliefs.
The reception, which took place on November 29, 2018 and which was moderated by Jonathan Kaplan, Professor of Philosophy at Oregon State University, was well attended.
For many people, Dr. Guerrini was the first person they would go to for advice and for encouragement, so her departure will leave a hole in the hearts of many. But everyone is excited for Dr. Guerrini’s next step in her life, for which exciting things are sure to come!
