PULLMAN, Wash. — The nomination deadline for annual Washington State University College of Liberal Arts awards has been extended to Feb. 27. Each year the College of Liberal Arts recognizes the accomplishments of its faculty, staff, students and alumni with Distinguished Achievement Awards. In addition, the William F. Mullen Award for Excellence in Teaching is presented to one faculty member each year. Nomination forms are available from the Liberal Arts Development office, Administration Annex 302.
The Mullen Award recognizes outstanding teachers in the arts, humanities and social sciences for their involvement with students in and beyond the classroom. The award is conferred in memory of one of WSU’s most dedicated and popular professors. Frank Mullen joined the WSU Department of Political Science in 1968, where he was an exceptional teacher and a leader in several efforts that later became university-wide initiatives — multiculturalism and internationalism. He won the 1985 Burlington Northern Faculty Achievement Award for teaching excellence.
Mullen was dedicated to the success, the enrichment and the improved quality of all aspects of his students’ lives. His interest in Black politics and commitment to multiculturalism grew out of his experiences as a high school and college student in Mississippi. At WSU he served on the committee that developed the Black Studies curriculum, and he taught WSU’s first Black Politics course.
On a personal level, Mullen supported students who were active in the fight for racial justice. He participated in the foreign student orientation program, where he lectured on the American political system. He chaired the WSU Educational Innovations Committee and coordinated the internship program for political science students. He was an energetic adviser to campus political groups and the student ACLU. Mullen died in December of 1986 from a brain tumor.
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