Dr. Brothers Named an Icon of Education

Published: Friday, March 18, 2016

Ingram’s Magazine Honors Educators Throughout the Region

As Benedictine College celebrates its past Century of Science and looks to the next one, Physics professor Dr. Doug Brothers, who has taught at Benedictine College since 1968, is in a position to know a good deal about that history. He has been honored with the Distinguished Educator of Year Award, has received numerous National Science Foundation grants, served as department chair for 45 years and even served as Interim Dean of the College for 18 months.

But like the college, Doug is not looking back. He is looking to the future. As department chair, he oversaw the creation of the Engineering Department and the addition of those specialized majors. He and his wife, Betsy, set up a million-dollar insurance policy as a donation to the “Investing in Excellence” campaign as a means to establish the first endowed chair in the college’s history for the Department of Physics and Astronomy.

And he sees the future in his students and their thirst for knowledge. In all his years at the college, Doug has never taken a sabbatical, saying he wants to be there for the students. That means he has been at Benedictine College teaching for 96 straight semesters…and counting!

Last month, during this celebration of science, he was appropriately named an “Icon of Education” by Ingram’s Magazine. The publication selects honorees based on passion, a call to serve, intellectual curiosity and executive competency. This year’s Icons of Education gathered on Feb. 10 at William Jewell College in Liberty, Mo., for a celebration luncheon and awards presentation to recognize their contributions to higher education and the quality of life in Missouri and Kansas. Ingram’s honorees hailed from as far away as St. Louis, Wichita and Manhattan. To see the full story, click here.