SERVICE GU Honors Brown, Marlowe for Service By Kristen Wayne Hoya Staff Writer

Georgetown awarded honorary degrees to two longtime university community members last week at the annual faculty convocation held in Gaston Hall. University Provost and History Professor Dorothy Brown and Director of Residence Life and Associate Dean of Students Bethany Marlowe received Doctor of Humane Letters degrees from Georgetown, commending their accomplishments and years of service.

“[Honorary degrees] are given out on special occasions, with the approval of the university’s board of directors, to recognize individuals for their service and contributions to Georgetown or their respective field,” Vice President for Communications Julie Green Bataille said.

A Baltimore native, Brown has served in various positions at Georgetown for the past 35 years. After assuming the position as interim provost in 1998, Brown began a three-year term as Provost in 1999. Brown will officially step down from the position of provost in July.

In a letter to university faculty and staff in September University President John J. DeGioia praised Brown’s contributions to Georgetown. “Dorothy’s dedication to Georgetown is exemplary and I look forward to opportunities later in the academic year to recognize with you her remarkable contributions to Georgetown over the years as teacher, scholar, colleague and administrator,” DeGioia said.

Brown began her career at Georgetown in 1966 as a history professor before serving as the history department chairperson. She is also credited for founding the American Studies Program at Georgetown as well as for her contributions with the Middle States Reaccreditation Process.

“I was, of course, honored and heartened by the award of the honorary degree by [University President John J. DeGioia] and the board of directors,” Brown said of the degree. “I had already been richly rewarded by the opportunity to teach so many gifted and caring students and to work with faculty and administrator colleagues and friends.”

For 25 of her years at Georgetown, Brown has been a member of the Faculty Senate. She has held prominent positions in the Senate, including president, vice president and secretary. Brown also earned both her doctoral and master’s degrees from Georgetown.

In a press release DeGioia described Brown as “a celebrated teacher, cherished colleague and accomplished administrator, who has made a significant difference in hundreds of individual lives and the life of the university.”

“Her commitment to Georgetown’s academic excellence has been manifest in numerous ways as she has made extraordinary contributions during the years as a member of the Georgetown family,” he said.

As Director of Residence Life for the past 16 years, Marlowe has aided in shaping and developing Georgetown’s residential program. She has also been credited for being a key player in the creation of new policies concerning bias-related acts, sexual harassment and abuse and served as associate dean of students since 1995.

“Dean Marlowe has helped to ensure that Georgetown remains student-centered as it continues to develop as a major research university,” DeGioia said in a recent press release.

Marlowe will step down from her position this summer leaving Georgetown for Winthrop University in South Carolina, where she will assume the position of dean of students.

“She has consistently demonstrated a strong commitment to the Jesuit educational tradition of cura personalis, helping to foster an environment that promotes the intellectual, spiritual, emotional, moral, social and physical development of Georgetown students,” DeGioia added.