What is an emeritus?
Emeritus designation is an honorary status for retired faculty. This award is reserved for faculty who have served the university with distinction to recognize their long-term service and contributions to the community.
What emeriti mean to Saybrook
At Saybrook, achieving emeritus status provides numerous opportunities for retired faculty, including access to university email and library databases, updates from university newsletters and other related sources, and increased ease of maintaining professional relationships with colleagues. At the time of their appointment, emeriti shall be publicly and privately honored as deemed appropriate by academic leadership.
Ruth Richards, MD, Ph.D.
Dr. Ruth Richards is an educational psychologist and a board-certified psychiatrist. She served as professor at Saybrook University for 25 years in Creativity Studies and Consciousness, Spirituality, and Integrative Health. She has been a fellow with the American Psychological Association (APA) in Divisions 10, 32, and 48, and a member of Division 34. She has published numerous articles, edited and written four books on everyday creativity, and received the Rudolf Arnheim Award from Division 10 APA for Outstanding Lifetime Accomplishment in Psychology and the Arts.
Robert Schmitt, Ph.D.
Dr. Robert Schmitt is a humanistic psychologist. At Saybrook University, he served as full-time faculty in Psychology, as well as director of the Consciousness, Spirituality, and Integrated Health Specialization. He has a Ph.D. in Spirituality from Fordham University, as well as master’s degrees in counseling and theology from Santa Clara University and a master’s degree in philosophy from Gonzaga University. Before coming to Saybrook, Dr. Schmitt served as a core faculty member at Santa Clara University and the Institute of Transpersonal Psychology (now Sofia University), respectively. Other than his faculty experience, his professional roles have included spiritual guide, Jesuit priest, novice director and administrator, author, and Hospice Chaplain.