BIO SKETCHES OF AT-LARGE COUNCILORS

Naomi Amos,            Director of Corporate and Foundation Relations (responsible for all institutional and faculty grants, 1999-present) at Randolph-Macon Woman’s College, 2500 Rivermont Avenue, Lynchburg, VA 24503

Degrees/Institutions: B.A. (English and music), M.M. (masters of music), plus 30 hours beyond Masters, in Education

Research (or other Professional) Interests: music composition for theatre productions, poetry readings, and dance; solo/chamber piano concert performances; music/American Culture lectures; college grants offices consultant.

Activities related to Undergraduate Research: In 2000, shortly after arriving at R-MWC, I was instrumental in institutionalizing the Student/Faculty Summer Research Program; I secured three years funding from Jessie Ball duPont Fund, and serve on the Summer Research Program’s advisory and selection committee. I was involved in similar activities at Trinity College, Hartford (1985-99).

CUR activities: Current Chair, At-Large Division, and Co-chair, Outreach Committee; current CUR Executive Board member; current CUR Councilor (second consecutive term); Chair, Meetings Committee (for National Conferences of 2000 and 2002); member of the Search Committee for next CUR Chief Executive Officer; facilitator for the CUR Proposal Writing Institute (2001-present). In 2003, I was honored with the CUR Volunteer of the Year award.

Funding: Personal awards from CT State Arts Council, Preston Memorial Foundation, Saunders Foundation; Author of successful institutional proposals to Ford Foundation, Department of Energy, Housing and Urban Development (HUD), Mellon Foundation, New England Foundation for the Arts, Virginia Commission for the Arts, National Endowment for the Humanities, Jessie Ball duPont Fund, Arthur Vining Davis Foundations, and Freeman Foundation; Reviewer and editor for faculty and institutional grant proposals to NIH, NSF, NEH, NEA, NIMH, FIPSE, NASA, Department of Commerce, other corporations and foundations.

Teaching Interests: music, humanities, American Studies, and English; guest lectures (e.g.,Trinity College, CT; Lynchburg College, Center for History and Culture) on 20^th century American music and culture.

Other relevant Professional Service:

·        Grants Office Consultant, Berry College, 2003

·        Reviewer for FIPSE Comprehensive Program, National Endowment for the Humanities

·        Speaker at CUR national conferences (1998, 2000, 2002, 2004), NCURA (regional and national conferences, 1994-98), Department of Energy (national conferences, 1992, 93, 95)

·        Sample public talks: “Ten Ways to Blow a Grant Proposal,” “Communicating with Faculty and Administration,” “Supporting the Sciences,” “Is Research Objective?” “Administrators Mentoring Faculty Towards Externally Funded Research,” “Research Issues at Small Undergraduate Institutions,” “The Student as a Whole Person.”

·         Director, Connecticut Pre-Engineering Summer Program (for middle school students), Trinity College, 1987-98 (as part of role as Trinity College Director of Faculty Grants and Sponsored Programs)

·        Advisory Committee of Trinity College/United Technology Engineering Initiative (involving research teams of students, faculty, professional engineers and scientists), 1995-99

·        Active member of CLASP (Colleges of Liberal Arts Sponsored Programs)

As one trained as a humanist and professional musician/pianist, my expertise in such realms as sponsored programs, development, and pre-engineering programs may seem unusual. In fact, I understand the complexities of higher education since I have been both an administrator and a faculty member. As an administrator, I enjoy facilitating the development of new programs and motivating faculty to their full potential in areas of scholarship, research, and curriculum development—through external funding. Creating a supportive culture for student/faculty research has been a major theme in my career; it led me to join CUR, and subsequently to serve two consecutive terms on the Council. There is much work left for me to do. For example, I have been instrumental in efforts to encourage CUR’s membership to include more social sciences and humanities faculty. I have contributed to a proposal for an Arts and Humanities Institute. Because I share CUR’s commitment to support PUI institutions and faculty, I have assumed leadership positions in the At-Large Division and in the Meetings and Outreach Committees. I am eager to continue to broaden CUR’s visibility and impact as an organization. We have made great progress. But many colleges and universities have yet to fully realize and institutionalize CUR’s mission—that the best learning is achieved through undergraduate student/faculty collaborative research and scholarship.