I asked, because I wasn't expecting the president to be calling me. Williams laughs at the recollection. Wow, that's great,' I remember saying. I was just so surprised. It was a nice way to be told.
Surprise appears to be a common reaction to the news.
Ann Rosalind Jones, a member of the faculty since 1977, says it was an unexpected honor when in 1993 she was awarded the Esther Cloudman Dunn Chair. The chair was established by friends and former students of Dunn, who taught in Smith's English department for 36 years. It recognizes distinguished scholarship and achievement in the art of teaching. Curious about Dunn, Jones did some research. Interestingly, Jones discovered that she and Dunn shared an appreciation for the 17th-century poetry of John Donne, often considered the greatest love poet in the English language.