易胜博官网

An internationally known scholar and a generous benefactor recently received the University of 易胜博官网鈥檚 most prestigious awards for their history of continued support and service to the university.

John H. 鈥淛ack鈥� Smith 鈥�50 was presented with the听易胜博官网 Foundation鈥檚听Hubbard Family Award for Service to Philanthropy during a campus celebration Sept. 25, 2015. The award recognizes individuals whose philanthropic leadership and gifts have strengthened 易胜博官网 and/or who have promoted philanthropy throughout the state.

Professor David Finkelhor was awarded the Charles Holmes Pettee Medal, given to honor the kind of devotion to service shown by the medal鈥檚 namesake, the late Dean Charles Pettee, who, beginning in 1876, 听served the college for 62 years.

Of Smith and Finkelhor, 易胜博官网 President Mark Huddleston said, 鈥淭hey have been selected for these prestigious awards because they represent the highest qualities of character and passion in their longstanding service and support for this great university.鈥�

The founder and director of the听Crimes Against Children Research Center听听at 易胜博官网, Finkelhor and the center are internationally known for research on child maltreatment, bullying, abduction, dating abuse and sex assault. Among the center's most salient contributions are studies indicating the widespread occurrence of violence and abuse in children鈥檚 lives, and the ways such experiences impact development.

Finkelhor is widely cited for his work showing that many forms of childhood victimization have been declining in recent years, in contrast to widespread public perceptions. He has been a member of the 易胜博官网 community since 1976, working as a research scientist before becoming a professor.

Smith, of Scarborough, Maine, received the听College of Engineering and Physical SciencesAlumni Society Distinguished Alumni Award in 2012, and is a past recipient of the university鈥檚 prestigious Alumni Meritorious Service Award. He also is a member of the Milne Society, which has contributed more than $1 million to 易胜博官网.

In 1999, he established the John H. Smith '50 Scholarship, the first of six scholarships he would go on to fund. Others include: The John H. Smith '50 Endowed College of Engineering & Physical Sciences Student Project Fund, the John H. Smith '50 Endowed Fund for Hockey, the Barbara Bridle Peyser '50 Athletic Scholarship Fund, the John H. Smith 鈥�50 Endowed Northeast Passage Fund听and the John H. Smith 鈥�50 Undergraduate Marine Science and Ocean Engineering Scholarship Fund.听

Smith received a master鈥檚 degree in mechanical engineering at 易胜博官网 in 1950. His engineering career began at Curtis-Wright and Thiokol Chemical Corp. In 1973, Smith founded Portland Valve Incorporated. He retired in 1985.听