When winning an award most people know right away, but Tim Meyer, an instructor of economics, found out through knowing smiles from his coworkers and congratulations from the previous winner of the award. Meyer is this year’s winner of the J.P. Hendrickson Liberal Arts Faculty Scholar Award and he will be giving the Hebert Cheever Jr. Liberal Arts lecture.

The Hendrickson Faculty Scholar Award presentation and Cheever Lecture will take place on Jan. 21 from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. in the Volstorff Ballroom B.

“Faculty members submit applications,” said Mary Arnold, assistant to the Dean of Communications and Marketing. “Selection is made by the [Arts and Sciences] Faculty Council.”

The Hendrickson Faculty Scholar Award and the Cheever Lecture were created last year in honor of two individuals, Professor John Phillip Hendrickson and Herbert Cheever Jr. from the College of Arts and Sciences.

Arnold said that it took three months to prepare for the J.P. Hendrickson Award and Cheever Lecture.

“This event is our celebration of the value of a liberal education within the College of Arts & Sciences,” Arnold said. “It is the most important event sponsored by the college that brings students, faculty, alumni and friends together each year.”

Meyer said that when he found out that he won, he was both excited and nervous.

“I was shocked but I also knew that I had submitted an application that there was a chance, albeit slim in my calculated opinion,” Meyer said.

Meyer will be giving a lecture called “The Implicit Benefits of a Liberal Education: the Economics of Morality, Politics, Charity, and Life as viewed by Adam Smith, Karl Marx, and Others.”

“One of the things, I think, that is important for students is for them to be open-minded a towards a lot of different ideas and, in some cases, ideas that seem to be contradictory, but when we drill down actually have a lot in common,” Meyer said.

According to Meyer, open mindedness allows students to see the world through a different perspective and to remember that the “rest of the world isn’t like you.”

“The rest of the world is different and to be able to understand where they’re coming from will also be very

 

important,” Meyers said.

Meyers said that while he may be more conservative and South Dakota may be considered a conservative state, “students can benefit from a more liberal view of the world.”

“I feel that it’s my responsibility to present both sides of the argument to the students,” Meyer said.

Meyer said that life outside of school is not just about obtaining a grade; there are larger benefits and consequences.

“Step away from learning things for points and to consistently ask yourself,” Meyer said. “What am I gaining from learning this, because every class that you take there’s got to be a purpose; there’s something behind just learning content that make things fit together and … makes the whole educational experience better and bigger.”