Graduate Excellence in Teaching Awards
Nominate an outstanding graduate TA or instructor at UM today!
Graduate student teaching assistants and instructors are an important (and sometimes underappreciated) part of our teaching community at the University of Mississippi. They undertake the challenging task of facilitating lectures, labs, or discussion sections for a large number of UM undergrads, often as first-time teachers with little formal preparation. They lead in-class activities, grade papers and exams, and support students during countless office hours. And they do all of this while taking their own classes, pursuing rigorous research agendas, and maintaining their busy lives outside of grad school.
CETL offers a number of programs to support these students in their work and development as teaching professionals. But we also think it’s important to honor and celebrate those efforts.
That’s the goal of the Graduate Excellence in Teaching Awards, sponsored by CETL with support from the Office of the Provost, the Graduate School, and Dr. Johnny W. Lott. Each year, we present two students (one instructor of record and one teaching assistant) with a $1,000 award to recognize their exemplary teaching at UM.
Nominations for the award are now open. Graduate students may be nominated by UM faculty members, undergraduate students, graduate peers, or even themselves—we do accept self-nominations. If you know (or are!) an exemplary graduate TA or instructor at UM, please submit a nomination by March 1 using the form below:
In early March, we’ll contact nominated graduate students and ask them to submit an application packet with evidence of their teaching excellence. These packets will then be evaluated by CETL staff and representatives from the Graduate School.
We’ll be looking especially for applicants who demonstrate three things:
Innovative, effective, and evidence-based teaching practices
A positive impact on students and student learning
A commitment to inclusion and equity in their teaching
At UM, we have top-notch graduate teachers who are dedicated to creating meaningful learning experiences for their students. We’re excited to award these teachers for their excellent work!