Carl Ridley Professor of family and consumer sciences

With so much time spent on campus, the Ridley family dinner table conversations often center on one thing: their day at school.

Eric Rosenwald, an aerospace and engineering junior, is not the only one in his house going to the UA. His stepfather, Carl Ridley, is a professor of family and consumer sciences, and his mother, Linda Spirk Ridley, is an undeclared student.

Rosenwald and his stepfather were honored by their respective colleges for academic achievements last weekend as part of the Family Weekend activities.

On Friday night, Ridley hurried around campus from one awards ceremony to another to watch both her son and her husband be recognized.

Rosenwald was honored at 3 p.m. in the Gallagher Theater with an award for academic distinction by the faculty of the department of aerospace and mechanical engineering in the college of engineering and mines.

Eric Rosenwald aerospace and engineering junior

The award is given to those who maintain a high grade point average.

Rosenwald had collegiate experience long before he ever got here.

"I just kind of grew up on campus," he said of his decision to come to the UA, "It was really just natural for me. My biological dad got a Ph.D in astrophysics here, so I was always on campus when I was a little kid."

About an hour later, the Ridleys hurried upstairs to the convocation of the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences where Carl was surprised by being named Outstanding Teacher.

As professor of family studies and human development, Ridley has been teaching at the UA for 26 years.

Soyeon Shim, a professor of family and consumer sciences, said that the award Ridley received is only given to longtime faculty members.

"This is given to senior members of the faculty who have a cumulative track record of teaching and instruction in both the undergraduate and graduate programs," Shim said.

She added that the award is the highest distinction any faculty member can receive in the college of agriculture and life sciences.

James Hunt, a teaching assistant for Ridley, spoke highly of Ridley's work as an educator.

"He's one of those professors where students automatically connect with him," Hunt said. "It's too often in family studies that theory just doesn't come to life, and Carl really makes the subject matter come to life."

One of Ridley's colleagues, Dr. Clyde Feldman, described Ridley as "one of the most modest people in the whole damn world."

The Ridleys and Rosenwald said that their experiences at the UA have become a true family affair.

"My husband would go to school and my son would go to school and I'd be sitting here thinking ÎHey! Why do they get to have all the fun?'" said Linda Spirk Ridley, who enrolled at the UA and is working towards a degree in art history. "I want to go to school too!"