WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass., March 9, 2010 -- Williams College has announced the selection of William Dudley, professor of philosophy, as Gaudino Scholar to succeed Ed Burger, professor of mathematics, who has held the role since 2008.

As the college's 13th Gaudino Scholar, Dudley will join a tradition of faculty members who create experiences in which students can learn through confronting differences, taking risks, and trying new things.

Dudley is especially interested in challenging students to reflect upon the nature of education, and in encouraging students to incorporate those reflections as they choose their academic paths.

His area of expertise lies in German Idealism, from Kant to Hegel. His additional academic interests include modern European philosophy, philosophy of education, and philosophy of sports. He has written two books: "Understanding German Idealism" (2007) and "Hegel, Nietzsche and Philosophy: Thinking Freedom"(2002), in addition to numerous scholarly articles. 

At Williams, Dudley has taught Philosophy and Economics of Higher Education, Truth and Rationality, Big Games: The Spiritual Significance of Sports, Philosophy of Religion: Faith and Reason, and Contemporary Political Philosophy: Liberalism and Exclusion, among numerous other courses.

He has been the recipient of fellowships from the Williams College Oakley Center for the Humanities and Social Sciences, the American Council of Learned Societies, and the Humboldt Foundation.

Dudley received his B.A. from Williams College and his Ph.D. in philosophy from Northwestern University.

The Gaudino Scholar program is sponsored by the Gaudino Fund, created in memory of former political science professor Robert L. Gaudino. Gaudino's former students remembered their professor's philosophy of active and student-centered learning, as well as his belief that "genuine learning is often an uncomfortable process of confronting familiar expectations with immediate experiences."

Since its creation, the Gaudino Fund has provided students and faculty alike with unique opportunities and experiences to foster academic and pedagogical innovations within the curriculum, particularly those which require greater responsibility on the part of the students; encourage dialogue and critical reflection on curricular and extracurricular topics; support learning through the experience of confrontation with the self and others in and out of the classroom; and stimulate debate about the liberal arts enterprise and the Williams experience itself.

The board of trustees of the Gaudino Fund is chaired by Michael Pucillo '75, and includes a number of former Gaudino scholars and other alumni and students. Pucillo is a member of the law firm Berman DeValerio.

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Founded in 1793, Williams College is the second oldest institution of higher learning in Massachusetts. The college's 2,000 students are taught by a faculty noted for the quality of their teaching and research, and the achievement of academic goals includes active participation of students with faculty in their research. Students' educational experience is enriched by the residential campus environment in Williamstown, Mass., which provides a host of opportunities for interaction with one another and with faculty beyond the classroom. Admission decisions are made regardless of a student's financial ability, and the college provides grants and other assistance to meet the demonstrated needs of all who are admitted.

To visit the college on the Internet: www.williams.edu/ Williams College can also be found on Facebook:http://www.facebook.com/williamscollege and Twitter:  http://twitter.com/williamscollege

News: Laura Corona