Dean's Awards for Teaching Excellence

Background

The Dean’s Awards for Teaching Excellence recognize stellar instructional efforts by graduate students and help cultivate the next generation of leaders in the classroom. Several awards will be made across the disciplines to graduate students who serve in various teaching roles. Each recipient will receive a monetary prize, a certificate, and recognition in their graduation program.

Winners of the award demonstrate advanced pedagogical skills, develop innovative materials and lessons, and/or refine feedback mechanisms that have significant impacts on student learning and engagement.

To submit a nomination, please complete the form in the “Nomination” section on this page. For eligibility guidelines, please see “Nomination Guidelines."

Nomination Guidelines

Each department or program may nominate up to two graduate student instructors engaged in a mentored teaching experience. If you are submitting two nominations and your department’s Mentored Experience Implementation Plan has both AI and MIT experiences as part of its Required Pathways or as part of an optional Teaching Intensive Pathway, one nomination must be for an AI and one nomination must be for an MIT. If your department’s plan only has either AI or MIT, both of your nominations may be in the same category. Additional nomination guidelines are as follows:

The student must be enrolled full time as a graduate student in any A&S graduate program during AY 25-26.
The student must be in good academic standing and making progress in the degree program.
During the calendar year 2025 (SP25 & FL25), the student must have had significant responsibility for student instruction in a regularly scheduled course in Arts & Sciences.
The level of teaching performance achieved by the student must be viewed by the department or program as exemplary.

Competitive nominations demonstrate why the student’s teaching performance is considered exemplary within the discipline/department.

Successful AI candidates have often improved the administration of a course's lessons/instructional materials, provided exceptionally clear and helpful feedback on student work, and/or motivated student learning.
Successful MIT candidates have often implemented innovative pedagogical strategies in the classroom, developed new learning tools, and/or demonstrated a commitment to fostering an inclusive learning environment to inspire student success.

The nomination form includes an area for including examples of this exceptional work. The nomination can also be supported by and offer input from multiple members of the department involved in the teaching mission.