At Fontbonne University, we believe the intellectual journey is the key component of every student's education. We celebrate the elusive spark, found in the classrooms of the most gifted teachers, that inspires, encourages, illuminates.

Our faculty members are more than teachers alone--they are acclaimed artists, authors and researchers. But all share a dedication to the individual that makes Fontbonne a place where tenured professors know underclassmen personally and students can find their passions under the guidance of experienced teachers.

The board of trustees established an award in 1988 to recognize the outstanding teachers who create Fontbonne's learning environment. In 1994, the family of Joan Goostree Stevens '47 endowed the award, and it was renamed in her honor. Each year, a committee of representatives from the students, faculty and administration selects the nominee who is most deserving of Fontbonne University's highest recognition for teaching.

2005 Joan Goostree Stevens Award Winner - Sister Rita Schmitz, CSJ

Sister Rita Schmitz, CSJ, of St. Louis, received the 2005 Joan Goostree Stevens Excellence in Teaching Award at Fontbonne University. Sister Rita is a professor of education at Fontbonne, where she has worked for the past 35 years.

She earned a bachelor's degree in home economics from Fontbonne; her master's in home economics education from Southern Illinois University; and her doctorate in family and child development from Ohio State University.

The board of trustees established an award in 1988 to recognize the outstanding teachers who create Fontbonne's learning environment. In 1994, the family of Joan Goostree Stevens '47 endowed the award, and it was renamed in her honor.

Each year, a committee of representatives from the student body, faculty and administration select the nominee who is most deserving of Fontbonne University's highest recognition for teaching.