Two Mercy Faculty Members Named Outstanding Educators by Education Update
Mercy professors Dr. William Farber and Dr. Frances Biscoglio were named Outstanding Educators of the Year 2018 by Education Update. Farber, Biscoglio, and the other award winners were honored at an awards breakfast at the Harvard Club of New York City on June 22.
Farber, associate professor of mathematics education in Mercy’s School of Education, teaches both mathematics and mathematics education courses. In his classes, he aims to foster students’ self-confidence by creating a learner-centered environment in which students become active participants in the learning process. He also works to help students recognize the importance of critical thinking and decision-making — not only in mathematical problem-solving but in real life applications as well. Beyond his teaching commitments, Farber coordinates several professional development initiatives and grant programs targeted to pre-service and in-service secondary mathematics teachers. After completing his B.S. degree in mathematics at Manhattan College, he earned his Ed.D., M.Ed., and M.A. degrees in mathematics education from Teachers College, Columbia University.
“The event was amazing,” Farber says. “It was a major honor to receive the Outstanding Educator of the Year award and medal, not only for me but [also] … for Mercy College.”
Biscoglio — who retired earlier this year — worked at Mercy for 43 years as an English professor in the School of Liberal Arts, starting in 1975 as an adjunct professor and becoming a tenured faculty member in 1998. In her time at Mercy, she taught a wide variety of courses from basic composition to applied grammar, from short stories to “The Canterbury Tales.” She also taught for 12 years at the Bedford Hills Correctional Facility, a maximum-security prison for women. The student comments on course evaluations are a testament to the significant impact that her teaching and mentoring have had on the lives of several generations of Mercy students. As the program director and later chair of the English department, Biscoglio continued the tradition of a Christie Day Shakespeare celebration, bringing in several acting companies — such as the Hudson Valley Shakespeare Players and the Hudson Warehouse Company — to perform plays and speak with students. After completing her B.A. in English at the College of New Rochelle — where she won the first Catherine Haage Award for Excellence in Teaching — Biscoglio earned M.A. and Ph.D. degrees in English literature from Fordham University with a specialization in medieval literature. Her research interests include Middle English and Renaissance literature and theology, as well as the teaching of writing, reading and comprehension skills.
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