John C. Clark, philosophy professor, accepted the 2008 Dux Academicus Award on Jan. 23. The award, which was given during the President’s Convocation, and is presented each year to a member of the Loyola faculty.

“I take it as a wonderful gift because I don’t really feel that I particularly, in some special way, deserve it,” Clark said.

Colleagues and former students nominated Clark, a professor of philosophy, for the award. According to the university Web site, since 1978 the Dux Academicus Award has been given to a faculty member who “is able to impart the knowledge and wisdom of the humanities, sciences, or the professions to students in a manner consistent with the unique philosophy of Loyola University New Orleans as a Jesuit institution of higher education.”

Clark noted the effect that students and student organizations like Loyola University Community Action Progam and Environmental Action have had on him.

“I have been … encouraged and given hope by these students so many times in my life. They are the future,” he said.

He also emphasized the significance of working at a university that stresses the importance of critical thinking and social justice, and specifically their connection to the meaning of philosophy.

“Philosophy is love and wisdom. We actually can interpret that two ways: we can look at it as the love of wisdom, which is what critical thinking is supposed to lead to  – wisdom.

We can also talk about it as the wisdom of love.

The reason why we are doing all of this is because we care about others,” he said. “That’s what I appreciate about Loyola.”

Clark pointed out that, of the eight members of the university’s philosophy department, three have received the Dux Academicus Award.

“It’s wonderful to me that in a certain sense that (the award is) a recognition of philosophy,” he said.

He reflected on individuals who have inspired him, including professor Julian Wasserman, who died in June 2003.

“I remember he was carrying this copy of ‘Sir Gawain and the Green Knight’ and he was just beaming as he walked to class and said, ‘Isn’t it amazing that they actually pay us to do this?'” he said.

 “This is what teaching should be like – people going to class with this kind of joy. I’ve never forgotten that.”

Masako Hirsch can be reached at [email protected].