Excellence in Teaching and Learning Awards
The College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences Excellence in Teaching & Learning Awards recognize regular (Maroon Award) and fixed-term (Gold Award) faculty members who go above and beyond what is expected in creating exceptional learning opportunities for our students.
The Excellence in Teaching & Learning Award recipients are experts in their fields, effective and creative in promoting student learning, inspire students to high achievement and receive high praise from them in return, and are admired advisors and
mentors to future educators.
Nomination process
The college accepts nominations for two Excellence in Teaching & Learning Awards each year:
- Maroon Excellence in Teaching & Learning Award for regular faculty.
- Gold Excellence in Teaching & Learning Award for fixed-term faculty.
Nominations may come from faculty colleagues or from students. Please provide a nomination letter (at least 250 words) explaining why the nominee should receive the award and submit it to the contact information below. The Excellence in Teaching & Learning Awards committee will seek an endorsement statement for each nominee from the associated department chairperson. Please submit your nomination via e-mail to Marcy Taylor.
DEADLINE: May 2025
Nomination criteria
Student letters provide a recommendation based on experiences inside and outside the classroom. Please include in your letters specific examples to illustrate how the instructor promotes student learning. Your letter should explain how the instructor’s expertise provides the context and inspiration for increasing students’ knowledge and academic skills. In addition, your letter may touch on one or more of the following criteria.
- What have you learned from your instructor that you find invaluable to your future success?
- What sorts of expectations does the instructor set? How does the instructor motivate students to reach these goals?
- Provide examples of how the instructor creates a supportive community in the classroom and builds rapport with students.
- How does the instructor engage students in applications of content to real-world problems/situations?
- In what ways has the instructor mentored you and others beyond the classroom to prepare students for the future? How does he or she encourage students to seek out advice or additional preparation? Has the instructor encouraged you to pursue opportunities for guided research, study abroad or internships, or other high-impact learning activities?
In addition to these criteria, faculty colleagues may comment on the following characteristics of the nominee’s teaching:
- Does the nominee have expertise in his or her field?
- Does the nominee use effective methods for enhancing student learning?
- Do the nominee's teaching strategies reflect best practices in the respective field?
- Does the nominee show respect for and accessibility to students?
- Does the nominee display leadership within the department and college regarding curricular and pedagogical effectiveness?
- Does the nominee show support for students and student success?
Contact information
Please submit your nomination via e-mail to Marcy Taylor.
Excellence in Teaching & Learning Award
College of the Liberal Arts & Social Sciences
Anspach 106
Mt. Pleasant, MI 48859
Attention: Marcy Taylor