Champaign, Ill. – Faculty and staff members and graduate teaching assistants at the U. of I. were honored for excellence in teaching, mentoring and advising at an April 26 reception at the Alice Campbell Alumni Center.
The Campus Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching recognizes sustained excellence in and innovative approaches to undergraduate teaching and contributions beyond classroom instruction that have an overall positive impact on undergraduate student learning. Honorees represented three employee categories: faculty, specialized faculty and teaching assistants. Faculty and specialized faculty will receive a $5,000 award. Teaching assistants will receive a $3,500 award.
Faculty members honored with the Campus Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching, with comments from their nominations:
Laura Segebart DeThorne, speech and hearing science, approaches her teaching with curiosity and professionalism, working to connect with students through activities that draw on current events, such as mock trials and debates on issues in the news. Undergraduate students respond exceptionally well to her supportive and engaging teaching style. She prioritizes getting to know her students in both small and large classes, and pushes them to become more independent and effective learners.
Karla Moller, curriculum and instruction, has been an extraordinarily resourceful and dedicated teacher in the 15 years she has been in the department. She has developed and taught two core undergraduate literature courses through which she uses children's literature to address critical issues in education and society. One student said her passion for the subject was “truly infectious.”
Thomas Nevins, mathematics, has taught both undergraduate and graduate courses, but the variety of his undergraduate teaching is what sets him apart. Since 2004, he has taught 14 different courses in the department. His students praise his ability to explain mathematics very clearly and from many perspectives.
Rebecca M. Stumpf, anthropology, has the ability to mentor undergraduate students both in the classroom and in her lab, a quality that ranks her among the best teachers at Illinois. Within her courses, she uses active learning in the form of student presentations and the study of lab materials.
Andrew Suarez, animal biology, through his infectious enthusiasm for the subject and by investing an enormous amount of effort, has made Introduction to Environmental Science relevant to and engaging for students. The course is now one of the department’s most popular offerings. He is constantly working to innovate in order to enhance the educational experience for undergraduates. Offering a blended approach, he combines online assignments and questions completed before class, and uses Facetime to facilitate small-group activities and discussion.
Specialized faculty members honored, with comments from their nominations:
Gretchen Adams, an instructor and the director of Undergraduate Studies and the Merit Program, chemistry, is an extremely talented teacher who has had a tremendously positive impact. She has a passion for and commitment to underrepresented students of all ages through her volunteer STEM outreach efforts. In the Chemistry Merit Program, Adams works with over 500 students interested in STEM majors. The program builds study skills, teaches materials that may not have been taught at the high school level and creates a supportive network involving fellow students.
Emad W. Jassim, a lecturer in mechanical science and engineering and the director of Undergraduate Programs, is an exemplary teacher with a pedagogical style that uses active/experiential learning, project-based learning involving real-world applications, and entertainment to connect with students. He initiated the LEGO robotics competition among the freshmen in ENG 100 to introduce basic mechanical engineering concepts. He is known for including hands-on demonstrations and exciting videos to liven up his courses.
Bob Murphy is an instructor in mathematics. To a significant portion of our undergraduate population, “Math at Illinois” is Bob Murphy. His lecture in MATH 220 is the first, and in some cases only, experience students will have with mathematics at Illinois. He makes the subject relatable and brings it to a level where students feel they can work with it.
Teaching assistants honored, with comments from their nominations:
Alexis Jones, curriculum and instruction, has been an extraordinarily resourceful and dedicated teacher, inspiring and equipping her undergraduate students to be critical and capable educators. Her ability to model effective pedagogy in her courses is recognized and greatly valued by her students. One student said, "I wasn't merely learning from the readings we were assigned or the projects we completed; I gained so much knowledge simply from watching a quality educator dedicate herself to meaningful instruction and practical learning.”
Chad M. Killian, kinesiology and community health, is a skilled teacher who constantly strives to provide his students with outstanding learning experiences. One of his students said, "I performed successfully in the course due to Mr. Killian's extensive knowledge, enthusiasm to assist his students and outstanding communication skills." Several of the courses he has taught demonstrate his innovative approaches to undergraduate teaching, such as redesigning courses, changing delivery methods and adding robust student-centered activities.
Cara Monical’s desire and ability to engage and inspire students is what makes her an exceptional teacher of mathematics. She uses a variety of techniques specifically designed to allow students to overcome their hesitation to speak up. She makes the material and the class approachable and interesting.
David Tokarz, communication, demonstrates passion for his course content and genuine concern for his students. He is an outstanding teaching assistant and, regardless of the course he is teaching, is always willing to assist others. He performs all of his responsibilities with enthusiasm and professionalism, and he consistently goes beyond what is expected.
Richard S. Laugesen, mathematics, and Jennifer K. Robbennolt, law, received the Campus Award for Excellence in Graduate and Professional Teaching. Recipients of this award are honored for sustained excellence and innovation in graduate or professional teaching and their contributions to graduate or professional learning beyond classroom instruction. Each will receive a $5,000 cash award.
Laugesen is a wonderful, deeply engaged instructor whose impact extends beyond the classroom. He is an investigator on two major infrastructure grants to improve graduate student education. He puts a great deal of thought into organizing and planning lectures.
Robbennolt is a respected and inspirational teacher who is beloved by her students. Through her calm nature, expansive knowledge and clear compassion, she has a unique ability to create an engaging classroom atmosphere. Most of her students go on to practice law, but she has also very actively encouraged and then mentored students who showed an interest in pursuing a different career path.
Joe Mahoney, business administration, and Josep Torrellas, computer science, received the Campus Award for Excellence in Graduate Student Mentoring. This award recognizes faculty for their sustained excellence in graduate student mentoring, innovative approaches to graduate advising, and their impact on graduate student scholarship and professional development. The award is co-sponsored by the Graduate College. Each will receive a $2,000 cash award; a $10,000 fellowship from the Graduate College; and $1,000 to their academic unit to support graduate student travel.
Mahoney plays a crucial role in the education and development of doctoral students in the business administration department. He is a phenomenal mentor who students look up to and seek out for professional counsel and research advice.
Torrellas recognizes the need for high-profile projects for his students so they have the best chance to attain the positions they are seeking after graduation. He recognizes what it takes to get highly competitive appointments and takes deliberate steps to fully prepare his students. He always considers the student's interests first and treats every graduate student respectfully, fairly and transparently.
Rizwan Uddin, nuclear, plasma and radiological engineering, and Janet D. Carter-Black, social work, received the Campus Award for Excellence in Guiding Undergraduate Research, which rewards faculty for their excellence in involving and guiding undergraduate students in scholarly research; having a positive impact on student scholarship or intellectual development; and for their innovative approaches to guiding undergraduate research. Each will receive a $2,000 cash award.
Uddin has had a major impact on undergraduate education through student research experiences. He has developed an opportunity for his undergraduate research group to become real innovators and to pursue their own vision of the possibilities in the virtual environment. In his laboratories, students assist each other with their research and receive daily supervision from him. Allowing the group to vet each student member’s contributions builds a sense of independence and encourages students to make individual as well as group contributions.
Carter-Black works tirelessly to introduce, promote and encourage student participation in undergraduate research initiatives. Her courses ensure that students learn about the rigors of substantive and meaningful research, and she carefully matches student interests with research mentors to facilitate further research opportunities.
Eric Snodgrass, atmospheric sciences, received the Campus Award for Excellence in Online and Distance Teaching. This award honors excellence and innovation in online and/or distance teaching; contributions to student learning through innovative uses of technology; creativity in course development and instruction; and for having had a positive influence on the quality, extent, and development of a department’s online/distance program.
Snodgrass reimagined online delivery for large enrollment courses at Illinois with the development of ATMS 120, which has been used as a model in online education. He worked with the instructional designers to reshape the course for online delivery, capturing the exciting elements that go into his classroom to transform them for the virtual world. He has also developed a nine-week online learning module for middle school students to learn about severe weather in the Midwest. He will receive $5,000 for use in his research/teaching account, and $1,000 will be given to his academic unit to further develop the program.
Cassie Meinert, kinesiology and community health, and Alicia Rodriguez, Latina/Latino studies, received the Campus Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Advising. Recipients of this award are recognized for their excellence in and innovative approaches to undergraduate advising, and for having had a major impact on undergraduate students and their intellectual development through sustained academic advising relationships. Each will receive a $2,000 award.
From the time Meinert set foot on campus eight years ago, she hit the ground running and has not stopped. In addition to her role in advising undergraduate students, she co-teaches the kinesiology and community health orientation course. Within the course, she provides students with resources and information relative to career development, thus also advising through her teaching.
Rodriguez is genuinely passionate about working with students and is always looking for ways to enhance their academic and social experiences. She is guided by a wonderful philosophy to treat students whole people with a range of needs. She goes out of her way to ensure that life obstacles do not prevent her advisees from continuing their education. Rodriguez routinely develops programs designed to bolster their academic success and employment prospects.
For more information about these awards and to see previous recipients, visit the Provost’s Office website.