News
(16.6.2019)
US Lawyer and Psychologist Mark Small was awarded an Honorary Doctorate by the Rector of the University of South Bohemia
Prof. Mark Anthony Small, J.D., Ph.D., was awarded an Honorary Doctorate at the ceremonial session of the Academic Council of the University of South Bohemia which was held on Thursday 13, 2019, at the ceremonial hall of the České Budějovice town hall.
Prof. Mark A. Small began as a professor at the Southern Illinois University in 1990. After that he became a director of the Institute for Families in Society at the University of South Carolina, and since 1999 he has been working at the Institute on Family and Neighborhood Life in Clemson University (he became the director in 2017).
During his scientific and pedagogical work he has authored 11 monographs or chapters in monographs, and 51 papers in professional magazines. He has been the head of a section at a conference nineteen times, he has participated in 31 international lectures as “an invited speaker”, 62 lectures at national symposiums in the U.S.A, and he has actively participated in a conference 52 times.
Prof. Mark Small is a lawyer and a psychologist - this interconnection and focus on social sciences (in particular social work) present a multi-professional scope of the perception of social sciences. These are the key disciplines that expand social work at the University of South Bohemia in the fields of study that build a coordinated rehabilitation using “an evidence based” approach. A scientific, pedagogical and especially human approach have affected academic workers at the Faculty of Health and Social Sciences of the University of South Bohemia over the last 17 years, in particular concerning participation, provision and protection of children's rights within the Convention on the Rights of the Child or community social work.
Prof. Mark Small's cooperation is a key cooperation and it has brought significant results. Those deserving a particular mention are as follows:
The Faculty of Health and Social Sciences became a key institution of Child Watch International. In 2006 a doctoral study programme with the title “International Ph.D. Program in Family and Community Studies” was successfully accredited. In 2008 an international programme with the title “Graduate Certificate in International Family and Community Studies” was successfully accredited.
Prof. Mark Small is also concerned with the results from pedagogical and publication activities in cooperation with the Faculty of Health and Social Sciences.
You can read about the other successful results of cooperation and upcoming projects on the websites of the Faculty of Health and Social Sciences.
When Prof. Small learned he was to be awarded an honorary doctorate he was very surprised. His first reaction was that he did not deserve it. “I feel very honoured, it is a great pleasure for me. I am proud and grateful – especially as I was proposed by people from the faculty that I have known for 20 years. During that period of time I have visited České Budějovice twenty-two times, often with students or my colleagues in a social capacity. I have monitored the changes in this field of study. It is for us very inspirational that the Czech Republic really struggles with respect to this. For example, we can learn much concerning the complex operation of the centre for the handicapped ‘Arpida’, which I have already shown to many of our students,” he stated.
He arrived in South Bohemia with his wife, and over the four days they visited Český Krumlov and Prague. On Wednesday they were guests at the concert of the FHSS USB Choir that devoted one of the songs in English to them that evening. Prof. Small considers the journeys for his colleagues from the FHSS USB as journeys for friends because they have found a common language over twenty years and they understand each others opinions on social topics.”Thanks to this, it is easier for us to create international projects - we still have enough plans concerning our further cooperation,” he stated.
To the ceremony:
After the ceremonial parade of the representatives of the University of South Bohemin in České Budějovice, a proposal to appoint Mark Anthony Small, J.D., Ph.D. a doctor honoris causa was read. According to the appropriate provisions, nothing obstructed the ceremony. The Rector of the University of South Bohemia, Doc. Tomáš Machula awarded Prof. Mark A. Small an honorary doctorate. Then he gave pleasure to all those present with his gripping speech.
This was followed by a musical show of the České Budějovice vocal choir ‘Dyškanti’, led by Doc. Martin Horyna, Ph.D. of our Faculty of Education. The musical show concluded the whole ceremony to enthusiastic applause.
We asked:
How are you feeling after being awarded an honorary title?
Prof. Mark Small: ”I'm happy, enthusiastic and very honoured. It is a great honour for me.”
How did you like the ceremony, including the historical music etc?
Prof. Mark Small: “The beauty of the Czech Republic lies in that compared to America it has such a history, tradition and rituals. For me it was an extraordinary experience to be a part of it.”
It is the 34th honorary doctorate in the history of the University of South Bohemia, and the second on a proposal of the Faculty of Health and Social Sciences. In 2006 a doctor won it (Prof. MUDR. Vladimír Krčméry, DrSc., from Trnavská University in Slovak Trnava).
