LEWISTON — Exemplifying the Bates College principle of extraordinary academics backed by constructive support, Katalin Vecsey has received the college’s 2012 Ruth M. and Robert H. Kroepsch Award for Excellence in Teaching.

Vecsey lives in Lewiston with her husband, John Painter, and their son, Kelen. A senior lecturer in theater, she is expert in both the mechanics of the voice and the aesthetics of speech in performance. In addition to teaching courses exploring voice, speech and gender, Vecsey works with students in every Bates theatrical production and also directs plays, including a forthcoming production of Alan Ball’s “Five Women Wearing the Same Dress” March 16-18.

Bates students and recent graduates nominate faculty for the Kroepsch Award, and a committee of previous faculty Kroepsch recipients selects the honoree.

Vecsey received her doctorate in developmental and educational psychology at Eotvos Lorand University, Budapest, and the equivalent of master’s and bachelor’s degrees in speech and language pathology and special education at Barczi Gusztav College, also in Budapest. She is frequently invited back to Barczi Gusztav College to teach master classes.