Robert Stockwell, full-time political science instructor and division chair, received the Dean Murakami Advocate of the Year Award and will retire after the spring quarter.
“It’s going to be bittersweet leaving. I’m going to miss the students a great deal. I know I’ll miss my colleagues,” Stockwell said.
He received the Dean Murakami Advocate of the Year Award at the Faculty Association of California Community Colleges Advocacy and Policy conference for his leadership, service and devotion to higher education on Feb. 22, according to a post on the De Anza College Facebook page.
“It means a lot to me because the award is named after Dean Murakami, who is a mentor of mine,” Stockwell said. “He inspired me a great deal in my activism and in my work.”
Stockwell has been involved in civic engagement work through the Vasconcellos Institute for Democracy in Action. He also helped create the Faculty Association Political Action Committee Internship Program in 2012.
“We’ve had probably 60 to 80 PAC interns over the years, many of whom have come back to work at De Anza or Foothill or are serving on city councils,” Stockwell said.
Stockwell said one of the things he loved most about teaching was the conversations with students.
“I feel incredibly lucky to have taught at De Anza. This is a great institution. I love my colleagues, the faculty and the students are just phenomenal. I feel very privileged,” Stockwell said.
Stockwell said he’s looking forward to his retirement and starting a new chapter.
“One of the things I will do more regularly now is surf. I’m hoping that I’ll have more time to do that,” Stockwell said.
James Nyugen, a full-time political science professor at De Anza, said he’s going to feel bittersweet to see a close coworker retire.
“I’ve always seen him as a mentor, colleague and a good friend.” Nguyen said. “He leads with his actions and he’s someone I’ve modeled my career after because he’s set such a high standard.”
Elvin Ramos, dean of social sciences and humanities, said Stockwell has the heart for community organizing, engagement and political science. Ramos said he and the political science department will “miss him deeply.”
“I think it’s timely to recognize Bob at the very end of his tenure at the college,” Ramos said. “We all just want to congratulate him, but also let him know that whatever this next chapter is for him, we wish him well.”
