Dr. Jonnie Guerra, vice president for Academic Affairs, has been named a Distinguished Alumni by Purdue University's College of Liberal Arts, joining such notables as C-Span founder Brian Lamb and basketball hall-of-famer John Wooden. Dr. Guerra, who earned her master's (1975) and doctoral (1981) degrees in English from Purdue, was honored for her exceptional career and her commitment to community service.
Dr. Guerra has spent her entire career in higher education. Since 1992, she has served in academic administrative posts at Walsh College, Randolph-Macon Woman's College and Cabrini. At Cabrini, she has worked closely with President Antoinette Iadarola and faculty to strengthen and secure the College's position as a regional institution known for academic excellence, innovative programs, and community outreach.
She played a key role in the planning of the Center for Science, Education, and Technology and the Hamilton Family Communications Center, and has worked with faculty in completing the program design for a new "Collaboratory," the Cabrini library of the future.
She currently is directing the project, "Strengthening Undergraduate Learning Inside and Outside the Classroom," funded by a $1.9 million Title III grant from the U.S. Department of Education.
"Dr. Guerra's contributions to Cabrini can best be summed up as 'raising the bar' in the teaching and learning mission of the college," said President Antoinette Iadarola, who accompanied Dr. Guerra to Purdue last week for the award ceremony. "Dr. Guerra is highly respected by her colleagues and has built an impeccable reputation and an impressive record of accomplishments."
A scholar of American literature with a special focus on Emily Dickinson, Dr. Guerra was selected by the Emily Dickinson International Society to direct its first international conference. Dr.Guerra joined the society's Board of Directors in 1992, and served as president from 2000 to 2004. Since 1994, she has been editor of "Poet to Poet," a regular feature in the society's bulletin about poets influenced by Dickinson.