Naval Academy Professor Receives Award of Excellence

Naval Academy political science professor Gale Mattox received the 2011 Civilian Faculty Service Excellence Award. Mattox joined the Political Science Department faculty in 1981, arriving when women had only recently been welcomed to the academy faculty and student body. Mattox immediately began mentoring and counseling female midshipmen – setting up lunches between female midshipmen and faculty – and has continued that support to this day. In 2006 she was one of three co-directors of the 30th anniversary of women at the Naval Academy.

Mattox has devoted a great deal of time to mentoring both male and female midshipmen and encouraging midshipman participation in national and international conferences. Last semester, she arranged for two midshipmen to attend the Young Atlanticist Summit conference held in Lisbon, Portugal, in conjunction with the NATO summit.

She heads the Political Science Department’s capstone program and has been intimately involved with the academy’s graduate education program, serving on the graduate education committee for more than twelve years.

Mattox served as chair of the Political Science Department from 2003 to 2007 and was elected ‘‘Chair of Chairs” for three years. She also served as the faculty director for Naval Academy Foreign Affairs Conference for four years.

Her commitment to the Naval Academy and to midshipmen is evident in a wide range of activities, including serving on the early Faculty Forum (Senate), escorting four summer tours around Germany on her own time, and serving on advisory committees to the Academic Dean. In 2010, she became a member of Admissions Board.

‘‘Professor Mattox’s energy and dedication to her profession are seemingly endless, and faculty and midshipmen alike routinely seek her out for advice and expertise,” said Academic Dean and Provost Andrew Phillips in an e-mail to midshipmen, faculty and staff. ‘‘A serious scholar, dedicated teacher and colleague, and exemplary role model, Professor Mattox embodies everything that the USNA Civilian Excellence in Service Award represents.”

Two honorable mentions for the award were also selected: English Professor Anne Marie Drew and history Professor Nancy Ellenberger.