Francis Marion's Flannagan named distinguished professor for 2018-2019

Dr. Rebecca Flannagan, Chair of the Francis Marion University Department of English, was named FMU’s J. Lorin Mason Distinguished Professor for the 2018-19 academic year at the school’s faculty awards dinner Thursday night.

The annual award, named in honor of a former chairman of the FMU Board of Trustees, is the highest honor bestowed upon an FMU faculty member. It also means that Flannagan will be the FMU nominee for the South Carolina Governor’s Professor of the Year Award competition.

The award will be formally presented at FMU’s spring commencement ceremony on Saturday, May 4.

The Mason Distinguished Professor award is based upon a faculty member’s ongoing contributions to teaching, professional service and scholarly activities.

Flannagan, the 44th recipient of the Mason award, said she was grateful for the recognition.

She told the assembled faculty Francis Marion University, it’s faculty, staff, and students, have played a familial role over the past 24 years.

“Since I interviewed here, I’ve always thought this is a place that I need to be,” she said. “Being married to (my husband, Roy), is my best choice I’ve made, but right up there is working at Francis Marion.”

Flannagan joined the FMU faculty in 1995. Besides her skills as researcher, teacher and mentor, she’s played an integral role in the University’s faculty governance. She was FMU’s Faculty Chair from 2012-2017 before being elected Chair of the Department of English. She currently chairs FMU’s Title IX Council.

In 2004, she received the FMU Award for Excellence in Teaching, and in 2008, she was presented the Charlene Wages Shared Governance Award.

Flannagan holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in History and English Education and a Master of Arts Degree in English from Western Kentucky University, along with a Ph.D. in American Literature from Southern Illinois University. Flannagan and her husband Roy have one son, Wickham.

Dr. Fred Carter, FMU’s president, said Flannagan’s commitment to the University community made her an obvious choice.

“Beckie Flannagan is a respected colleague and dear friend to all of us,” Carter says. “No one works harder on behalf of the University; and no one is more deserving of this honor. All of us, the administration, the faculty and the students alike applaud this recognition.”

The past winners of the J. Lorin Mason Award are:

Louis A. Hoff

1975-76

James R. Rinehart

1976-77

Lloyd Birch

1977-78

Joseph T. Stukes

1978-79

Tom Roop

1979-80

Roger W. Allen Jr.

1980-81

Duane P. Myers

1981-82

Marian Cusac Green

1982-83

Harlan G. Hawkins

1983-84

William H. Breazeale Jr.

1984-85

Julia E. Krebs

1985-86

Ronald L. Hall

1986-87

Lorraine de Montluzin

1987-88

Lynn D. Hendrick

1988-89

James H. Von Frank

1989-90

Robert R. Parham

1990-91

Jackson F. Lee Jr.

1991-92

Ben L. Kyer

1992-93

Eileen L. Kirley-Tallon

1993-94

David M. Peterson

1994-95

Donna H. Goodman

1995-96

Marjorie B. Pace

1996-97

Gary W. Hanson

1997-98

George E. Harding III

1998-99

Sethfield Smith

1999-00

Barry O’Brien

2000-01

Mary H. McNulty

2001-02

Kenneth D. Kitts

2002-03

Jesse J. “Mike” Jordan

2003-04

James T. Ramey Jr.

2004-05

Benjamin Woods

2005-06

Pamela A. Rooks

2006-07

Glen Gourley

2007-08

Larry E. Nelson

2008-09

Kenneth M. Autrey

2009-10

Derek W. Jokisch

2010-11

Christopher D. Johnson

2011-12

Kay Lawrimore Belanger

2012-13

Jon W. Tuttle

2013-14

Travis W. Knowles

2014-15

Jeanette Myers

2015-16

Keith Best

2016-17

Ruth Wittmann-Price

2017-18

Rebecca Flannagan

2018-19