Robert D. Kavanaugh, Hales Professor of Psychology, Emeritus

Since coming to Williams in 1976, you have served the college in almost every way possible. In the classroom you have introduced countless students to the marvels of human behavior. As a researcher you have expanded our understanding of the mind of the child, and in particular of the important things that happen in that mind when adult and child play pretend. This long-term research project has led to a string of scholarly papers and has drawn in a great number of your students, many of whom have gone on in the field. You have chaired the psychology department during times of rapid growth, and in the 1990s chaired the Campus Commission on Race Relations. You have served as dean of first-year students, were an early director of the Williams-Exeter Programme at Oxford, and later directed the Oakley Center for the Humanities and Social Sciences. With department colleagues you wrote an introductory psychology textbook that has been in wide use nationally, while locally your interest in children has led to your service on the Williamstown Elementary School Committee and as president of the Williamstown Community Day Care Center. In short, you have exemplified the liberal arts faculty ideal of teacher, scholar, administrator, and citizen.

I hereby declare you Hales Professor of Psychology, Emeritus, entitled to all the rights, honors, and privileges appertaining thereto.

June 7, 2015