Clayton Conder graduated from the Thomas More University History Department in May as the recipient of both the Sr. Mary Albert Murphy, SND, Award and the Sr. Mary Philip Trauth, SND, Award. The first of these, named after one of the department’s matriarchs, recognizes the president of Lambda Sigma Chapter of Phi Alpha Theta, the International History Society, a position Clayton held for both his junior and senior years. The latter of these awards remembers the second of the department’s matriarchs and recognizes the “Most Outstanding Senior History Major” for that year. In addition, Clayton will always be remembered for the international dimension he brought to his academic career. In the summer prior to his junior year, he studied abroad in Greece with the Kentucky Institute for International Studies (KIIS) and for his master’s degree work, after being accepted by many outstanding institutions, he decided on St. Andrews University in Scotland where he earned a Master of Arts with experience in multiple fields related to medieval studies, including history, philosophy and theology. Upon his return, he joined our departmental ranks as an adjunct professor and has been invaluable in that capacity, particularly during this complicated year as we survived the COVID-19 pandemic. Department Chair Jodie Mader praised Conder for his effective shift to remote learning in mid-Spring 2020, “Clayton took on two classes for us in the fall of 2020 and one more in the current spring. Overall, he will have taught four classes in a year and will be primed for the doctorate program he will enter in the fall of 2021. Students really like his teaching style. The evaluations are very good for a new faculty member teaching in unpopular time slots.” The department proudly congratulates Clayton as this academic year’s Dr. Ray Hebert Adjunct Faculty Member of the Year.