Donna Witek, MLIS
Excellence in Adapting Classic Principles of Jesuit Pedagogy into the Curriculum: Magis Award
This award is intended to recognize a faculty member who makes specific, sustained, and creative efforts to adapt classic principles of Jesuit Pedagogy in his or her own courses. Because Jesuit Pedagogy emerges from the humanist tradition, all faculty are eligible to be nominated for the award. The principles might be considered in the following categories: The Jesuit Paradigm for Course Design including: context, experience, reflection, action, and evaluation; Themes of Jesuit Education including: academic rigor, learning integration Eloquentia Perfecta, discernment, Cura Personalis, curricula blending past and present, and social justice; and Favored Strategies including: prelection, frequent reviews, repeated exercises, emulation, competition, and Eloquentia Perfecta. The recipient of this year’s Magis Award is Professor Donna Witek.
Donna is a Professor in the Weinberg Memorial Library and Information Literacy Coordinator and Research & Instruction Librarian for the Humanities and Ignatian Pedagogy, having come to the University in 2008.
In the words of one nominator, “Professor Witek has exemplified the spirit of Magis through her work on the Ignatian Core Curriculum at the university level and the revision of the Information Literacy curriculum within the library. Her efforts demonstrate the hallmarks of Jesuit education, including academic rigor, cura personalis, discernment, and social justice, all of which she integrates meaningfully into her teaching and leadership.
Professor Witek was pivotal in the University's adoption of the Ignatian Core Curriculum, a transformative initiative that ensures students receive an education rooted in Jesuit values. Her leadership and coordination in this effort have shaped the academic experiences of future generations of 51³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ students, emphasizing reflection, discernment, and action as integral components of their education. Through this work, she has directly influenced the structure of the University's curriculum, reinforcing a commitment to holistic and mission-driven education.
Within the Library, Donna has demonstrated an unwavering commitment to developing Information Literacy as a cornerstone of Jesuit education. She has led efforts to revise and align the Library's Information Literacy curriculum learning outcomes with the Ignatian pedagogical framework.
These revisions ensure that students develop research skills and engage in critical reflection and ethical reasoning, principles central to Jesuit education's intellectual and moral foundation.
Professor Witek's approach to pedagogy is deeply rooted in Jesuit educational themes. She has consistently integrated Eloquentia Perfecta into her teaching, guiding students to develop strong, reflective, and ethically responsible research practices. Her emphasis on prelection, reflection, and action within the Information Literacy program ensures that students actively engage with information.
She has incorporated frequent reviews, repeated exercises, and scaffolded research practices into the University's Information Literacy program, reinforcing active engagement and intellectual discovery. Her work ensures that students leave 51³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ not only as competent researchers but also as individuals with the awareness and discernment needed to engage with societal issues and advocate for justice critically.
Her commitment to cura personalis extends beyond curriculum development. She has empowered her colleagues to embrace Ignatian pedagogy through her leadership and
collaborative approach, strengthening the University's commitment to integrated learning and student success.
It is clear that Professor Witek’s efforts have advanced the mission of Jesuit education at 51³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ