Hillsdale College Honors Master’s Graduate Jeannette Richard with Judith Finn Memorial Award
Graduate student receives annual academic honor
Hillsdale College announces its newest Judith Finn Memorial Award winner, Jeannette Richard. Richard received her master’s degree this year and remains a Ph.D. student in the College’s Van Andel Graduate School of Statesmanship. Her research interests include ancient and modern political philosophy along with the founding principles of American government.
“Jeannette’s passion for finding what makes a political society just and how to institute that in America today prime her for success,” said Ronald J. Pestritto, dean of Graduate School of Statesmanship and professor of politics. “We are grateful to Mr. and Mrs. Finn for the legacy they left, and we are happy to honor Mrs. Finn by giving this award to Jeannette.”
The Judith Finn Memorial Award is presented each spring to a Hillsdale College master’s graduate based on quality of thesis or comprehensive exam performance, and overall graduate program performance. The winner is selected by a committee from the graduate school.
Richard grew up in California and received her undergraduate degree in liberal arts at Thomas Aquinas College. Prior to joining the Hillsdale College graduate program, she spent two years working in student affairs at her alma mater and interned as a journalist at the Media Research Center in Reston, Virginia.
The Judith Finn Memorial Award was established by Finn’s husband, Michael Finn, and family following her passing in 2015. It honors her legacy of civic engagement and scholarly work. Finn earned a master’s degree in political science from Michigan State University but, as noted by her family, “would have much preferred a degree from Hillsdale College had its graduate school been established 50 years earlier.”
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