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George Williams College Dean Emeritus Receives National Award
2/20/2009
WILLIAMS BAY, Wis. - Dr. Rita Yerkes, dean emeritus and senior research fellow at George Williams College of Aurora University, received the prestigious Hedley S. Dimock Award from the American Camp Association (ACA). The nationally recognized award was presented to Yerkes Thursday, Feb. 19, at the luncheon of the American Camp Association Conference in Orlando, Fla. Past recipients include former Vice President Hubert Humphrey; former Secretary of the Interior Steward Udall; and former Senator Abraham Ribicoff of Connecticut. The Dimock award is given to those who contribute to camping through related fields such as outdoor education, conservation, recreation, medicine, education, architecture, or the social sciences.
Yerkes has 40 years of experience in the field of outdoor experiential education, from the start of her career working as a camp counselor and outdoor living skills instructor to creating innovative university outdoor programs at Towson State University, Miami University, State University of New York at Cortland, and George Williams College of Aurora University. As dean of the School of Experiential Leadership at George Williams College from 2004 to 2008, Yerkes developed educational and camp partnerships that allow students to experience "learning by doing" as they prepare for careers in camp administration.
Her contribution to the professional development of the field of experiential education is extensive. She has served as a member of the ACA's Editorial Advisory Board and has been a frequent presenter at ACA, ACA Mid-States, and other national conferences. She co-founded the Coalition for Education in the Outdoors, and served as president of the Council on Outdoor Education, the president of the Association for Experiential Education and chaired the AEE Accreditation Council. In addition, Yerkes has authored countless essays, conducted scholarly research in the field of experiential education and is now writing a book on the history of George Williams College Camp. "The book is an exploration," said Yerkes, "of individuals, ideas, institutions and an encampment that led to the development of George Williams College from 1884-1965."
Aurora University is an inclusive community dedicated to the transformative power of learning. Approximately 4,000 degree-seeking students are enrolled each year on the university's Illinois and Wisconsin campuses, and the university is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association to award degrees at the baccalaureate, master's, and doctoral levels. The George Williams College campus offers 15 academic programs, unique conference facilities, and is home to Music by the Lake and other education and enrichment programs.
For more information on George Williams College, visit www.aurora.edu/gwc or call 262-245-5531.
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