Political Science Professor Margaret Clark was named a Distinguished Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit (DCNZM) in the New Year’s Honours.
Professor Clark, who received a Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George (CMG) Honour in 1993, says she was pleasantly surprised to now receive a DCNZM – the equivalent of the former Knight and Dame Companion Honours.
“I was rung and asked would I accept it, and of course, my fi rst response was total surprise,” she says.
“We want to deal with politics as an intellectual discipline and to present the study of politics in an even-handed way, so the fact that the two parties in our system have recognized me at a 14-year interval is pleasing. Pleasing and reassuring.”
Professor Clark was appointed a professor at Vic in 1978, and is now one of the University’s longest-serving professors. She continues to teach and coordinate fi rst-year and honours Political Science programmes.
“Over the years I’ve greatly enjoyed teaching generations of bright, young people to think about the way their world works,” she says.
“It’s very odd in a way to be honoured or rewarded for having done what you’ve really enjoyed doing. It’s been a lot of fun and I do truly think that generations of students have brightened up my life and I hope I’ve bright- ened up theirs.”
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