The Dirk Andrew Phibbs Memorial Award was established in 1983 through gifts made by Phil and Gwen Phibbs and their friends and family.
Dirk Andrew Phibbs, the second child of Gwen and Phil Phibbs, was born in South Ruislip, England on November 29, 1959. He died of a rare blood disease on November 21, 1963 at Children's Hospital in Boston, Massachusetts. Born an Englishman and an American, the son of Americans residing in England, Dirk's short life was equally divided between his two nationalities, two years in each country. His life was brief, but his memory is strong and it is important to his family. They hope that through this award the good he did in his few years, and could have done abundantly in a fuller life, will now be accomplished through others who share his intense curiosity and his love of books and learning, all strongly evident in those few years.
Purpose
The Dirk Andrew Phibbs Memorial Award is granted to faculty for the purpose of supporting faculty research and travel. The award is intended to honor and to encourage teaching by providing support for the reading, reflection, and re-thinking that good teaching requires, and for the exploration of new ideas and developments in related fields. It is the donors' hope that the award will provide time and support for faculty members, if they wish, to move beyond the area of their normal focus to enhance the breadth of their teaching in a liberal arts curriculum. Use of the stipend for learning through travel or to gain new perspectives in other cultures is particularly encouraged.
Because the donors feel that travel outside the United States provides an especially enriching experience no matter what the recipient's discipline, they prefer that awards be made to faculty planning such travel. However, international travel is not a requirement for receiving the award. Stipends can be used to cover expenses incurred by the recipient's family as well as the faculty member.
The stipend connected with the Dirk Andrew Phibbs Memorial Award fluctuates depending on endowment returns but is expected to be around $ 5,000.00 annually. It is expected that every year a single Dirk Andrew Phibbs Memorial Award will be awarded.
Eligibility and Award Criteria
Recipients should be tenured at the time of application and have at least 10 years of service with the University. All eligible applicants for funding submitted to the UEC for research, course release, and sabbatical awards during the academic year will be considered for the Phibbs Award. In addition, anyone interested can also directly apply for the Phibbs award without having previously also applied for other UEC administered awards in any given year by submitting an application in the form of a letter to the UEC (submitted to enrichment@pugetsound.edu) before April 1st. The application should briefly (in no more than 350 words) describe their proposed project, how the project would allow the awardee to broaden their academic attention beyond the area of their normal focus, and how the proposed project will enhance their teaching in the context of the liberal arts curriculum. Applicants for UEC research, course release, and sabbatical awards may choose to add additional, Phibbs-Award specific information, in the provided space on the application form at the time of their original UEC application.
No person shall receive a Phibbs Award more often than in a seven-year period. The recipient should be chosen by the University Enrichment Committee and be selected on the quality of their teaching and either their direct application narrative or the application for other UEC funds for the same year.