University Park, Pa. -- William J. Rothwell, professor in charge of workforce education and development, has received the Graduate Faculty Teaching Award. This honor, established in 1992 by The Graduate School, is awarded to faculty to recognize outstanding teaching performance and advising of doctoral students.
Of his teaching philosophy, Rothwell says, "I regard my role as facilitator, helping students to think through what they must do to make themselves attractive to prospective employers. I stress that those who know what their career goals are beat those without them every time."
He has co-authored several books with students and involved them in various consulting projects. One of his doctoral students notes that "he holds no knowledge or skill as proprietary."
Before arriving at Penn State, Rothwell had nearly 20 years of experience as a human resources director in the private and public sector. As a consultant, he has worked with more than 35 multinational corporations on job training, human resources management and organization change efforts.
As an academic, he currently heads the second-ranked graduate program in workplace learning and performance human resources development in the nation. He has authored, co-authored, edited and co-edited 58 books, including "Effective Succession Planning: Ensuring Leadership Continuity and Building Talent from Within," regarded in some circles as the "corporate bible" on succession management.
Rothwell's solicitude for his students was attested to by one current doctoral candidate who recalled that, when his stepson was diagnosed as terminally ill, Rothwell urged him to concentrate on his family first and place all scholarly projects on hold until emergency conditions abated at home.