Mockovak named SUNY Distinguished Teaching Professor

Paul Mockovak, a SUNY Fredonia alumnus on the cusp of a quarter-century of faculty service in the Department of Theatre and Dance at the university, has been promoted to the rank of SUNY Distinguished Teaching Professor.

It’s an especially profound milestone for Mr. Mockovak, given close ties he has to past and current faculty with such a revered SUNY-wide distinction.

As an undergraduate and graduate student, Mockovak learned from three faculty members who went on to be appointed SUNY Distinguished Professor or SUNY Distinguished Teaching Professor and, as a faculty member himself, has worked alongside another three SUNY Distinguished Teaching Professors at SUNY Fredonia.

“Among the greatest influencers for me was Harry John Brown (Distinguished Professor), or Maestro Brown, along with Claudette Sorel (Distinguished Professor) I didn’t study with her, but I heard her play and speak, so I was aware of her musical gifts that influenced me.” - Paul Mockovak

For 24 years, Mr. Mockovak has demonstrated outstanding teaching in nearly 30 different courses, a trait that precisely fulfills the overarching criteria for promotion to Distinguished Teaching Professorship, according to his nomination document.

“Among the greatest influencers for me was Harry John Brown (SUNY Distinguished Professor), or Maestro Brown, along with Claudette Sorel (SUNY Distinguished Professor),” Mockovak said. “I didn’t study with her, but I heard her play and speak, so I was aware of her musical gifts that influenced me.”

And while studying German, Mockovak recalls being inspired by SUNY Distinguished Teaching Professor Marion Sonnenfeld, whose language lab was named in her honor following her retirement.

Since his appointment as an assistant professor in 1998, Mockovak has had numerous opportunities to work with two current faculty with a Distinguished rank – Dr. James Davis (Distinguished Teaching Professor) and Julie Newell (Distinguished Teaching Professor) – and Dr. Thomas Loughlin (Distinguished Teaching Professor), who retired in 2017.

“What they all have in common is they were very passionate about what they taught in their art form and were equally committed to being educators in terms of the interest they took in their students and being supportive,” Mockovak said. All were examples embraced by Mockovak, and now a framed portrait of him will be placed in the Fenton Hall lobby exhibit, amongst his six mentors and colleagues and 43 other SUNY Fredonia faculty who share the SUNY Distinguished rank.

“I simply try to do my best at all times, and as an actor to bring in the truth and tell a story. It is for others to determine if I am successful or not. I don’t do it for the recognition. I do what I do to the best of my abilities.”

Mockovak earned a B.M. in Music Education in 1977 and a M.M. in Orchestral Conducting in 1981 from SUNY Fredonia. He also has an M.F.A. in Musical Theatre from the University of Miami, where he served as instructor, lecturer, assistant professor and associate professor before returning to his alma mater.

The formidable number of different courses Mockovak has taught indicates his versatility as well as his willingness to step in when there’s a need, according to his nomination for Distinguished Teaching Professor. He’s also widely known as a role model of collegiality. 

Mockovak has achieved success teaching at all levels – from first-year students to seniors to graduate students. Younger students remark how welcoming and supportive he is, while those approaching the end of their baccalaureate education praise and value his mentorship.

His teaching also demonstrates excellence with non-majors, with students commenting, “I liked how Paul built up to challenging concepts slowly…it kept us from feeling overwhelmed and ensured that we had strong foundations.”

Descriptions such as “community,” “staying in contact” and “reaching out” appeared countless times in student evaluations during the pandemic years. And when viewed in the context of his letters of support and evaluations in other years, the pattern is clear: Mockovak treats all students as unique individuals even as he fosters a strong sense of community within every class and production he oversees.

Even with a substantial teaching load, Mockovak has maintained an active and varied performance career for more than four decades. What’s most impressive is his demonstrated success in multiple aspects of the craft – as a dancer, actor, choreographer and director on the SUNY Fredonia campus and throughout Western New York and beyond.