Faculty Awards

Annual Awards

President’s Distinguished Teaching Award for Career-Track Faculty

Two award winners are expected to be named each year. The award is designed to specifically honor career-track faculty members who epitomize the highest levels of performance and excellence and who provide a vital role in teaching WSU students in the pursuit of the university’s goals and thereby in the fulfillment of its mission.

Eligibility

All regularly appointed career-track faculty members of the Washington State University faculty (half time or greater) at the time of election are eligible for this award. This would include career-track faculty, instructors, senior instructors, adjunct or affiliate faculty (see the Faculty Manual for descriptions).

Criteria

The President’s Distinguished Teaching Award for Career-Track Faculty is presented to a member of the faculty in recognition of truly outstanding accomplishments in the establishment of excellence in the instructional programs of Washington State University. Activities encompassed by this award may be either outstanding singular accomplishments or a record of excellence over a period of years, including some combination of the following:

• ability to engage and stimulate students and convey excitement related to course content;
• current, innovative, and effective teaching practices that communicate high expectations and challenge students;
• availability to students and willingness to assist and mentor them;
• valuing and responding to various kinds of diversity among
  students;
• success in significantly increasing students’ intellectual growth, critical thinking ability, and integrated view of the subject matter; and
• organizing or conducting new courses or revitalizing existing courses.

Application Process

Nominators are asked to submit the nomination form, a copy of the nominee’s curriculum vitae, and a narrative of 1000 words or less, stating why the nominee meets the award criteria and is deserving of the award.  Please do not submit additional information during the initial phase.  At a later date, the nominator(s) may be asked to provide additional supporting information, such as:

• A brief description of the nominee’s position at Washington State University for the past five years and the approximate percentage of assignment to instruction;
• Courses taught (one-sentence description, number of semesters, enrollment);
• Statement of teaching philosophy (2-page maximum);
• A description of the issues, behaviors, and activities that make the candidate a successful teacher. Ideally, this would include evidence of learning effectiveness (e.g., comparative research studies of learning outcomes, evaluations from peers, any publications related to teaching, etc.). (5-page maximum)
• Summary of recent student evaluations (2-page maximum); and
• Two to five letters of support from individuals who can evaluate the contributions to instruction and attest to their significance, particularly in light of the award criteria. Letters may come from colleagues, administrators, current or former students, and/or possibly community members whose organizations have benefited in some way as a result of the instructor’s teaching activities. Please ask these individuals to provide a brief description of their credentials in their letter.

Previous Award Recipients

2023 recipient Vanessa Cozza

2023 recipient Sophia Tegart

2022 recipient Kenneth Faunce
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2022 recipient Phillip Morgan
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2021 recipient Rebecca Cooney

2021 recipient David Torick

2020 recipient Chris Dickey

2020 recipient Janet Peters

2019 recipient Renee Petersen
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2019 recipient Clif Stratton
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2018 recipient Leeann Hunter
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2018 recipient Jason B. Peschel
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