Philip Mellen honored with emeritus status

Philip A. Mellen, of Blacksburg, professor of foreign languages and literatures in the College of Liberal Arts and Human Sciences at Virginia Tech, was conferred with the title "Professor Emeritus" by the Virginia Tech Board of Visitors during the board's quarterly meeting Monday, March 14.

The title of emeritus may be conferred on retired professors and associate professors, administrative officers, librarians, and exceptional staff members who have given exemplary service to the university and who are specially recommended to the board of visitors by Virginia Tech President Charles W. Steger. Nominated individuals who are approved by the board of visitors receive an emeritus certificate from the university.

A member of the Virginia Tech faculty for 24 years, Mellen preserved and enhanced the quality of the German program curriculum as the program coordinator for 20 years. Mellen published three books on German literature, and was twice chosen by his colleagues to author the departmental publication, "Departmental Vision." He was an invited member of the Dante Society of America and Gerhardt Hauptmann Gesellschaft (Berlin).

In 1996, Mellen's outstanding teaching was recognized with the university's prestigious William E. Wine Award. He is also a member of the Virginia Tech Academy of Teaching Excellence. Mellen received his bachelor's degree and master's degree from Portland State University, and a Ph.D. from the University of California, Davis.

The College of Liberal Arts and Human Sciences embraces the arts, humanities, social and human sciences, and education. The college nurtures intellect and spirit, enlightens decision-making, inspires positive change, and improves the quality of life for people of all ages. It is home to the departments of apparel, housing and resource management, communication, educational leadership and policy studies, English, foreign languages and literatures, history; human development, interdisciplinary studies, music, philosophy, political science, ROTC, science and technology in society, sociology, teaching and learning, and theatre arts.

Founded in 1872 as a land-grant college, Virginia Tech has grown to become the largest university in the Commonwealth of Virginia. Today, Virginia Tech's eight colleges are dedicated to putting knowledge to work through teaching, research, and outreach activities, and to fulfilling its vision to be among the top research universities in the nation. At its 2,600-acre main campus located in Blacksburg, and other campus centers in northern Virginia, Hampton Roads, Richmond, and Roanoke, Virginia Tech enrolls 28,000 full- and part-time undergraduate and graduate students from all 50 states and more than 100 countries in 170 academic degree programs.