Teaching Awards

Distinguished Teaching Award

Phillip Guerty, History

Teaching Excellence Award for Tenured/Tenure-Track Faculty

Thomas Greene, History

Esther Morgan-Ellis, Music 

Stephanie Rountree, English 

Teaching Excellence Award for Non-Tenure-Track Faculty

Dawn Drumtra, Biology

Haley Hodges, English

Previous Teaching Award Recipients

• Are strongly committed to teaching and learning. This commitment might be demonstrated through activities designed to advance the quality and practice of teaching and learning, to develop critical thinking and problem-solving skills, and/or global and multicultural understanding;
• Use effective teaching strategies to enhance student learning, including, but not limited to innovative uses of technology, active learning, learning communities, student portfolios, and assessment;
• Have a strong commitment to fostering the academic success of students through interaction with students outside of the classroom (e.g., advising, mentoring, recruiting, etc.).

Required Documentation

Nomination portfolios are limited to 15 pages, including any appendices (1” margins, minimum 12-point font for each section below). Incorporating every kind of evidence will be impossible. Instead, each nominee will want to select only the strongest and most relevant evidence. Each portfolio must include the following information. 

A complete application will contain the following documents:

1. A Table of Contents for the portfolio. Note: The TOC does not count toward the maximum of 15 pages.
2. One letter of support from the department chair/program administrator, speaking of the nominee's teaching and service, and why they are especially effective in advancing student learning.
3. One or more letters of support from a colleague who is qualified to comment on the nominee's teaching. This letter should describe the nominee's teaching and why he or she is especially effective in advancing student learning. Observation of teaching and analysis of teaching artifacts will favorably influence the committee.
4. A condensed curriculum vitae (2-3 pages).
5. A reflective statement that summarizes the nominee's teaching and learning philosophy, strategies, and objectives (1-2 pages).
6. One or more letters of support from recent and/or former students.
7. A brief summary of 2-3 innovative teaching artifacts or practices used in the classroom to promote student success.
8. A well-organized set of documents that provide evidence of the nominee's teaching excellence (e.g., data showing success of the nominee's students, selected components of course syllabi, handouts, methods of assessing student learning and achievement that go beyond student evaluations, examinations, summaries of recent student evaluations, peer evaluations, student mentoring and advising, etc. 9-10 pages). These documents should be accompanied by a brief explanation of why they are included in the dossier, i.e., how they document the excellence of the nominee’s teaching.

Deadline for Nominations

The award nomination material must be submitted by Monday, April 7, 2025, at 11:59 p.m. 

Complete the Distinguished Teaching Award application.

Required Documentation

Nomination portfolios are limited to 20 pages, including any appendices (1” margins, minimum 12-point font for each section below). Incorporating every kind of evidence will be impossible. Instead, each nominee will want to select only the strongest and most relevant evidence. Each portfolio must include the following information. 

A complete application will contain the following documents:

1. A Table of Contents (TOC) for the portfolio. NOTE: The TOC does not count toward the maximum of 20 pages.
2. A letter of nomination from a supervisor (department chair/program administrator). This letter should provide details of an observation and/or other evidence of the quality of teaching practices and student learning.
3. One or more letters of support from a colleague who is qualified to comment on the nominee's teaching. This letter should describe the nominee's teaching and why he or she is especially effective in advancing student learning. Observation of teaching and analysis of teaching artifacts will favorably influence the committee.
4. A condensed curriculum vitae (2-3 pages).
5. A reflective statement that summarizes the nominee's teaching and learning philosophy, strategies, and objectives (1-2 pages).
6. One or more letters of support from recent and/or former students.
7. A brief summary of 2-3 innovative teaching artifacts or practices used in the classroom to promote student success.
8. A well-organized set of documents that provide evidence of the nominee's teaching excellence (e.g., data showing success of the nominee's students, selected components of course syllabi, handouts, methods of assessing student learning and achievement that go beyond student evaluations, examinations, summaries of recent student evaluations, peer evaluations, student mentoring and advising, etc. 9-10 pages). These documents should be accompanied by a brief explanation of why they are included in the dossier, i.e., how they document the excellence of the nominee’s teaching.

Deadline for Nominations

The award nomination material must be submitted by Monday, April 7, 2025, at 11:59 p.m. 

Complete the Teaching Excellence Award for Tenured/Tenure-Track Faculty application.

Required Documentation

Nomination portfolios are limited to 20 pages, including any appendices (1” margins, minimum 12-point font for each section below). Incorporating every kind of evidence will be impossible. Instead, each nominee will want to select only the strongest and most relevant evidence. Each portfolio must include the following information. 

A complete application will contain the following documents:

1. A Table of Contents (TOC) for the portfolio. NOTE: The TOC does not count toward the maximum of 20 pages.
2. A letter of nomination from a supervisor (department chair/program administrator). This letter should provide details of an observation and/or other evidence of the quality of teaching practices and student learning.
3. One or more letters of support from a colleague who is qualified to comment on the nominee's teaching. This letter should describe the nominee's teaching and why he or she is especially effective in advancing student learning. Observation of teaching and analysis of teaching artifacts will favorably influence the committee.
4. A condensed curriculum vitae (2-3 pages).
5. A reflective statement that summarizes the nominee's teaching and learning philosophy, strategies, and objectives (1-2 pages).
6. One or more letters of support from recent and/or former students.
7. A brief summary of 2-3 innovative teaching artifacts or practices used in the classroom to promote student success.
8. A well-organized set of documents that provide evidence of the nominee's teaching excellence (e.g., data showing success of the nominee's students, selected components of course syllabi, handouts, methods of assessing student learning and achievement that go beyond student evaluations, examinations, summaries of recent student evaluations, peer evaluations, student mentoring and advising, etc. 9-10 pages). These documents should be accompanied by a brief explanation of why they are included in the dossier, i.e., how they document the excellence of the nominee’s teaching.

Deadline for Nominations 

The award nomination material must be submitted by Monday, April 7, 2025, at 11:59 p.m. 

Complete the Teaching Excellence Award for Non-Tenure-Track Faculty application.