The Graduate School will bestow up to four Excellence in Teaching awards. Each year, the awards and honoraria are given out at the University Awards ceremony.
Graduate School
Excellence in Teaching Award
Award Criteria
- Teaching that influences, motivates and inspires students to learn and fosters independent learning. Indicated by the graduate student's feedback to students on class assignments and how this feedback is consonant with course goals, or through statements regarding the graduate student's pedagogical technique.
- Development of curriculum and resources that promote student learning. A demonstration of the graduate student's use of imaginative instructional resources, a research-inspired approach to teaching, a current knowledge of the field, and the ability to communicate clear objectives and expectations for student learning.
- Development of students as individual learners. Evidence that the graduate student is responsive and supportive to the diversity among his or her students, and that assessment methods are similarly adapted.
All nominations are reviewed by the Graduate Council, which also makes final determinations regarding the winners.
Nomination Process
The award is open to current or former teaching assistants or teaching fellows in any graduate program. Each candidate must be nominated by their program, and each program may submit only one nomination. Nominations should be made through UFunds, found under the Graduate Student and Alumni Awards button.
Open: January 13, 2025
Deadline: March 1, 2025
Nomination Requirements
A nomination letter, and as many as three additional letters of support from other program faculty. If the nomination letter is not from the Director of Graduate Study, the DGS should at least provide a brief letter of endorsement.
In addition, nominations typically include two or more of the following:
- A first-hand account of a class or lab visit by a faculty member from the program or from another independent observer (this account may be one of the additional letters of support from faculty).
- A letter of support from a former student.
- A faculty member’s written summary account of the student evaluations of the instructor. (If such a letter is provided, copies of the evaluations themselves may be supplied; otherwise, please do not include the undergraduate student evaluations.)
- Other evidence of pedagogical innovation, such as course materials developed by the nominee.