Jackie Donath, humanities and religious studies professor at Sacramento State, received the annual John C. Livingston award.

The award is given to distinguished faculty members who has shown strong commitment to students and been active in scholarly contributions. Donath was selected for her efforts in general education, accomplishments as chair of the Humanities and Religious Studies department and work on reaccredidation by the Western Associates of Schools and Colleges. James Sobredo, associate professor of ethnic studies, said the John C. Livingston award is one of the top awards given to faculty members at Sac State.

“The award is something that we, as faculty, as well as the entire university, participate as a community to honor one of our most important and valued colleagues,” Sobredo said.

The recipient of the award gives a lecture about John C. Livingston and how his efforts at Sac State have shaped the campus and continues to influence the faculty at Sac State.

“I feel inspired and recommitted to my work after hearing the remarks of my colleagues,” Donath said. “Professor Livingston’s legacy is based on his ability to bring pleasure, and to ground his work and his life on some basic principles.”

Donath said the campus draws on long standing values reflected in the strategic plan, Destination 2010.

Integrity and doing right by the community are the values built into Sac State, and can be seen in the goals the campus sets for itself, Donath said.

She based her lecture on a series of short quotes that tied into her experiences on campus and reflected how she feels Livingston would see the campus if he were around today.

She said the future of Sac State lies in finding ways to increase access to campus and making it more visible in the Sacramento community.

Christy Jensen, retired Sac State professor of graduate and public policy administration in the graduate department, and last year’s John C. Livingston award recipient, said the Livingston Lecture is a unique opportunity, obligation and responsibility for Sac State faculty.

“When I think of Jackie Donath, I think of a quiet steady principle of leadership with a gentle firmness,” Jensen said. “I think of her particular contributions to our general education learning goals and the development of innovative strategies to support our undergraduate students and their learning.”

“I think what John Livingston would have wanted was not a ceremonial honor, but a real challenging lecture that pushes the envelope of where we are at what we are thinking about,” Jensen said.

Livingston was a government professor at Sac State from 1954 to his retirement in 1981. Livingston left a legacy of humor and wit, while furthering the educational mission of the campus.

Derek Fleming can be reached at [email protected]