Dr. John W. Hutton, Associate Professor of Art at Salem College, has been selected to fill the Ivy May Hixson Chair in the Humanities at the college.

Previously held by Dr. Janet Zehr, Associate Professor of English, this prestigious position honors Dean Ivy May Hixson, one of Salem’s most admired and respected educators. The appointment is given for a five-year period and recognizes a full or associate professor in the humanities who has distinguished himself or herself by consistently demonstrating superior performance in teaching, scholarship, publication, and professional service. The selection process includes nominations from the faculty to a committee, appointed and chaired by the Dean of the College. The new occupant of the Ivy May Dixson Chair was approved by the Board of Trustees at their May 2014 meeting.

Dr. Hutton has served Salem College as a member of the faculty since 1990. After graduating summa cum laude from Princeton University with a bachelor of arts in art history, he continued his education at Harvard University, earning a M.A. and a Ph.D. in art history. He has attended the Courtauld Institute of Art at the University of London and has been selected to attend a summer seminar on the uses of antiquity, presented by the Council of Independent Colleges. In 2013, Dr. Hutton was the recipient of the H. A. Pfohl Award for Faculty at Salem College.

Dr. Hutton’s teaching practices have been enthusiastically received by his students. He is active as a scholar, artist, and illustrator, and is well known for his Sister Maus children’s book series and his historically-based illustrations that have been selected for annual Christmas cards from the White House Historical Association. Other achievements include The White House ABC: A Presidential Alphabet for the White House Historical Association and his illustrations for the multi-volume series, The Seven Towers of Wonder, written by Bill Gordh and published by Thornwillow Press.

Dr. Hutton will serve as the Ivy May Hixson Professor in the Humanities through 2019.