Dr. Thomas McGrath Receives Cora I. Orr Faculty Service Award

While the award celebrates years of leadership and institutional service, McGrath views it as recognition of something much simpler: helping others do their best work.

"This role is really about listening," McGrath said. "Sometimes people don't need someone to solve their problems-they just need someone to hear them."

That philosophy has guided his work as Faculty Executive Secretary, where he has spent years helping faculty navigate University policies while serving as an advocate for their ideas, concerns, and professional growth.

Among his most significant contributions has been leading the effort to modernize Muskingum's Faculty Handbook by combining it with the University's Academic Policies and Procedures into a single, more accessible resource. Rather than rewriting policy, McGrath focused on creating clarity and consistency, making the document more useful for current and future faculty members.

His approach reflects a career built on quiet leadership rather than public recognition.

McGrath's own path to higher education was shaped by professors who encouraged curiosity and experimentation. As an undergraduate studying oceanography and history, he found inspiration in mentors who challenged students to think differently, embrace new ideas, and remain open to unexpected opportunities.

Those experiences continue to influence his teaching today.

As a historian specializing in Southeast Asia, McGrath believes education has the power to transform lives. He often recalls a professor describing education as a "silver bullet"-a simple phrase that has remained with him throughout his career.

"Education is an incredibly powerful instrument," McGrath said. "Its impact on people's lives shouldn't be underestimated."

Whether teaching students or serving faculty colleagues, McGrath sees education itself as an act of service.

That perspective also shapes the way he approaches leadership. Over the years, he has learned that effective service isn't about saying yes to every request, but about identifying where one's skills can make the greatest difference.

For McGrath, some of the most meaningful moments come from helping colleagues feel supported, valued, and heard as they pursue their own work.

As the recipient of the Cora I. Orr Faculty Service Award, McGrath joins a distinguished group of Muskingum faculty recognized for strengthening the University through service and leadership.

For him, however, the recognition points less to individual accomplishment than to the collaborative community he has spent years helping to build.

With Reporting by Auggie Niner '27