Mark Lubkowitz ’91 Named Teacher of the Year
Mark Lubkowitz, a 1991 graduate of Washington and Lee University and current professor of biology at Saint Michael’s College in Vermont, received the 2015 Joanne Rathgeb Teaching Award. It is the highest honor bestowed on faculty at Saint Michael’s College and illustrates Mark’s dedication to giving his students the best educational experience possible.
His citation reads in part: “Professor Mark Lubkowitz brings what can honestly be described as high-octane, unbridled enthusiasm to every aspect of his teaching. Whether leading student groups through the woods in General Biology, explaining the complexities of transporter genes or illustrating why privet is a particularly good match for sun-exposed sandy soils, his can-do attitude is infectious.”
Mark graduated cum laude in biology from W&L, after which he received a Ph.D. in microbiology from the University of Tennessee. He has been at Saint Michael’s College since 2001, and teaches cell biology, plant biology and molecular biology. He incorporates field trips into his lesson plans and has taken his students to local farms; it is through this immersive teaching style that he is able to captivate his students. His research focuses on transmembrane movement of molecules in plants, as well as how plants allocate sugars.
In addition to academic work, Mark and his wife, Virginia, have their own vineyard in Huntington, Vermont, and grow food in their numerous gardens and greenhouses. They are also known for hosting dinner parties on the 15th of each month, which feature cuisine ranging from Thai to Southern specialties.
—Wesley Sigmond ’16
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