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The Distinguished Teaching Excellence Award is given each year to a faculty member, or a group of collaborating faculty, who demonstrate excellence in teaching by meeting two or more of the following criteria:

Learning Communities that “encourages integration of learning across courses” and involves students with “big questions” that matter beyond the classroom. Students take two or more linked courses as a group and work closely with one another and with their professors. Many learning communities explore a common topic and/or common readings through the lenses of different disciplines.”

Service Learning, Community-Based Learning in which “field-based, experiential learning” with community partners is an instructional strategy. The idea is to give students direct experience with issues they are studying in the curriculum and with ongoing efforts to analyze and solve problems in the community. A key element in these programs is the opportunity students have to both apply what they are learning in real-world settings and reflect in a classroom setting on their service experiences. These programs model the idea that giving something back to the community is an important college outcome, and that working with community partners is good preparation for citizenship, work, and life.

Undergraduate Research that provides research experiences that “connect key concepts and questions with students’ early and active involvement in systematic investigation and research. The goal is to involve students with actively contested questions, empirical observation, cutting-edge technologies, and the sense of excitement that comes from working to answer important questions.

• All WSUTC faculty that teach at least one undergraduate course per year are eligible, including career track faculty, adjunct faculty, and tenure track faculty.
• Previous award winners are not eligible for three years after winning

• We seek nominations from a variety of WSUTC sources who might have unique insights into excellent teaching. Anyone can nominate an excellent teacher, including students, faculty, staff, supervisors, and academic directors.
• We also welcome self-nominations!
• Those interested in nominations can access the nominations form .

Award nominations due: March 13, 2026

The Selection Committee will consist of the Vice Chancellor of Academic Affairs, the Assistant Vice Chancellor of Academic Affairs, and the director of Instructional Excellence and Innovation.

• In addition, there will be three members that will rotate annually, including a faculty representative appointed by the RFO, the previous award winner, and a student representative appointed by ASWSUTC.

Applications will be reviewed by the selection committee based on the criteria of the award.