F&M Stories

Professor Daniel Frick’s scholarly and pedagogical contributions to the College are considerable.

As a scholar, his heralded work on the enduring significance of Richard Nixon has made an imprint on the disciplines of History and American Studies. Professor Frick’s book, “Reinventing Richard Nixon” (University Press of Kansas in 2008), now in its second printing, has garnered considerable attention, including an appearance on C-SPAN’s “Book Notes” show. He recently received a NEH Public Scholar full-year fellowship to support his promising new book project, tentatively titled “America’s Contrarian Sage: Richard Nixon and the Invention of the Modern Post-Presidency,” under contract with Johns Hopkins University Press.

Professor Frick’s sure-footed scholarship has informed his many F&M courses on political and cultural history. His classroom is one framed by a mixture of clarity in learning objectives, varied modes of instruction, and methods for students to grow intellectually. Graduating seniors credit their college success to the skills and “habits of thinking” that he instilled in both his Connections course and upper-level electives. Professor Frick’s understated midwestern humor has been a key to effectiveness in the classroom.

He has earned the same measure of respect from his colleagues and students for the integrity he brings to his directorship of the Writing Center, where legions of student tutors attest to his stellar mentorship. Professor Frick’s many accomplishments as director of the Writing Center include the expansion of the staff size; significant growth in Center traffic; broadening the reach of the Center; the creation of the Whitesell Prize in First-Year Writing and the in-class writing workshop program, which won the 2017 SLAC-WPA Martinson Award for Excellence in Writing Program Administration; and the hosting of the SLAC-WPA conference in 2019. Since Professor Frick began leading the Writing Center, 10 Williamson Medalists have been tutors.

The Writing Center’s fine record of serving both faculty and students is testimony to Professor Frick’s commitment to creating a vital place for honing the writing craft in a supportive environment.

We applaud Professor Daniel Frick’s invaluable work for the College for over three decades and wish him well in retirement.

Daniel Frick, Director of the Writing Center and Senior Teaching Professor of American Studies

Professor Frick’s many accomplishments as director of the Writing Center include the expansion of the staff size; significant growth in Center traffic; broadening the reach of the Center; the creation of the Whitesell Prize in First-Year Writing and the in-class writing workshop program, which won the 2017 SLAC-WPA Martinson Award for Excellence in Writing Program Administration; and the hosting of the SLAC-WPA conference in 2019.

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