University of Dubuque Inducts Two New Members into its Faculty Hall of Fame
May 11, 2018 | University Relations staff
DUBUQUE, Iowa – The University of Dubuque inducted two new members into its Faculty Hall of Fame for Excellence in Teaching and Advising on Thursday, May 10, at the Dubuque Golf and Country Club.
Matthew Schlimm, PhD, professor of Old Testament at the University of Dubuque Theological Seminary, received the 2018 John Knox Coit Prize. Mary Anne Knefel (MBA’95), university librarian and professor of library and information science, received the 2018 William Lomax Award.
“It is an honor to induct Matthew Schlimm and Mary Anne Knefel into the University of Dubuque’s Faculty Hall of Fame for Excellence in Teaching and Advising,” said Jeffrey F. Bullock, president of the University. “Matt is an enthusiastic supporter and interpreter of our Mission. Mary Anne has distinguished herself through her 38 years of dedicated service to faculty and students, serving with both enthusiasm and wit.”
Matthew Schlimm
Schlimm, who joined the seminary faculty in 2008, is known for his ability to creatively design new courses that engage students and deliver significant intellectual content.
“I love opening new worlds to students. There are moments when they see life, God, the Bible, or faith in a different way, and that’s very exciting,” he said.
Schlimm holds a bachelor of arts in Bible from Asbury College. He earned his master of divinity and doctor of philosophy degrees from Duke University. His first book is From Fratricide to Forgiveness: The Language and Ethics of Anger in Genesis, published by Penn State University Press (2011). His second book, This Strange and Sacred Scripture: Wrestling with the Old Testament and Its Oddities, was published by Baker Academic in 2015 and shortly thereafter was named a bestseller by The Christian Century. Schlimm’s third book will be out in August. Titled 70 Hebrew Words Every Christian Should Know, it will be published by Abingdon Press. He also co-edited the CEB Study Bible (2013). Schlimm has contributed to The Journal of Biblical Literature, The Catholic Biblical Quarterly, The Oxford Encyclopedia of the Bible and Theology, The Dictionary of Scripture and Ethics, and The Cambridge Companion to the Bible.
Schlimm has spoken across the United States at meetings of the Society of Biblical Literature. He will give a presentation at Oxford University in August and Stockholm School of Theology in October. An ordained minister in the United Methodist Church, Schlimm has served churches in Michigan, North Carolina, and Minnesota.
Mary Anne Knefel
Knefel, who joined UD in 1980, is one of the most recognizable people on campus. She shepherded the growth of the Charles C. Myers Library, which has become significant resource for students, faculty, staff members, and the Dubuque community.
“I was honored to be chosen for this award,” Knefel said. “When I reviewed the names of the previous inductees, I was humbled because they include very talented colleagues.”
Knefel holds a bachelor of arts in English and history from Knox College, a master of library science from the University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign, and a master of business administration from the University of Dubuque. She is UD faculty marshal, has served on a variety of University committees, and was one of the originators of Apex: Celebration of Student Scholarship and Creativity. Knefel also has served as president and secretary/treasurer of the Iowa Private Academic Libraries group, and she was member-at-large of the Iowa Association of College & Research Libraries multiple times. Before coming to UD, Knefel worked at the Carnegie-Stout Public Library in Dubuque, the University of Illinois Library of the Health Sciences-Rockford Branch, University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign, and Knox College.
Knefel will retire at the end of the semester. She has been appointed professor emeritus of library and information science at the University of Dubuque.
Award History
In 1995-96, Richard and Donna Svrluga established the Faculty Hall of Fame for Excellence in Teaching and Advising to recognize the contributions and impact of faculty on the lives of students. Awards are named in honor of former distinguished faculty members John Knox Coit and William Lomax.
John Knox Coit Prize:
An integral member of the Philosophy Department from 1955-96, Coit was more than a teacher. He became a mentor and friend to his students. Known as a “man of wit,” he made a lasting impression on his students. Coit died in 1995 at the age of 79.
William L. Lomax Award:
Fondly remembered by his students who studied business, Lomax was smart, tough, fair, and fun. As a member of the Business Department from 1953-69, he influenced the lives of many students. Lomax died in 1986 at the age of 83.
