Susan Siaw, 2009-2010 Nilson Award

[Remarks by Rae Mellichamp and John Walkup] The 2010 Erik Nilson Award, presented to an outstanding Christian professor, has been given to Dr. Susan Siaw, Professor of Developmental Psychology at California State Polytechnic University, Pomona.

Here is what Cheryl Lee, a former Faculty Commons staff member, wrote about Susan:
“I first met Susan Siaw about fourteen years ago, when we started a faculty/staff group on her campus. Susan began organizing the group to print ads in the campus newspaper identifying professors and staff as Christians. She helped organize luncheons for visiting speakers. After hearing Mary Poplin speak at a regional conference, she invited Mary to speak at Cal Poly Pomona as an evangelistic outreach for faculty, staff, and students.

Susan has continued to lead the weekly Christian Faculty Forum on campus. Sometimes the focus is prayer; sometimes there is a discussion of a book or video series. The purpose of the forum is to equip professors and staff and to encourage community. Whenever Susan learns of a new Christian professor on campus, she follows them up with an email, phone call or personal visit.

Susan is always searching for ways to share Christ on her campus. She invited students to have dinner with her before a Campus Crusade event so they could discuss spiritual issues. She found that her university was sponsoring a lunchtime study of The God Delusion by Richard Dawkins so she rallied several other Christian professors to attend with her. As a result, they met non-believers, were able to address some of the weaknesses in Dawkins’ arguments, and gave a face to Christianity to her faculty peers.

Susan demonstrates how a humble follower of Christ can have a powerful influence on a secular university campus. She has steadfastly declined the title of president or chairperson of the faculty forum, yet she has faithfully and effectively fulfilled that role at Cal Poly Pomona for many years.”