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East Berlin resident named distinguished professor at Messiah College

	Raeann Hamon, distinguished professor at Messiah College Click on image to download print-quality version

GRANTHAM, Pa. (March 1, 2005) — The Office of the Provost at Messiah College recently announced that East Berlin resident Raeann R. Hamon, Ph.D., chair of the Department of Human Development and Family Science and professor of family science and gerontology, has been awarded a distinguished professorship.

To be eligible for a distinguished professorship, professors must have taught at the college for at least five years at professor status and received national recognition for teaching, scholarly or artistic achievements. The distinguished professorship is a five-year term and includes a reduced course load and a financial stipend each academic year to encourage scholarly endeavors.

Hamon graduated from Messiah College in 1983 and then attended Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University for her master’s and doctorate degrees. She began teaching as an assistant professor of family studies at Messiah College in 1986. She became a department chair in 1991.

Her research has focused on gerontology, mate selection, international families, families in later life, and Bahamian family life and folklore. In 2003, a book she co-edited was published by Sage called, “Mate Selection Across Cultures” and in 1997 Messiah College Reprographics published a book by Hamon called, “’Old People Say…’ Tales from Eleuthera.” Articles written or co-written by Hamon have also been published in numerous academic journals, including Journal of Gerontology, Family Relations, Journal of Teaching in Marriage and Family, Journal of Psychology and Christianity, and the Journal of Divorce and Remarriage.

Originally from the Elizabethtown area, Hamon is the daughter of Ray Kunkle, of Bainbridge, and the late Pat Kunkle. She is married to Jeff Hamon and they have one daughter, Eliana.

Messiah College, a private Christian college of the liberal and applied arts and sciences, enrolls more than 2,900 undergraduate students in 50 majors. Established in 1909, the primary campus is located in Grantham, Pa., near the state capital of Harrisburg. A satellite campus affiliated with Temple University is located in Philadelphia.

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ARTICLE DATE: TUESDAY, MARCH 1, 2005
ARTICLE NUMBER: MC-029a-05