Outstanding Graduate Teaching Assistant Awards

Monarchs Lead

The Outstanding Graduate Teaching Assistant Award honors graduate teaching assistants who have demonstrated exceptional instructional quality.

The University selects two outstanding graduate teaching assistants each year. One for laboratory instruction and one for classroom instruction.

The award winners are announced at the annual Faculty Recognition & Awards ceremony. Please send your nominations for your respective colleges via email to the college coordinator by the established deadline. The Associate Dean/Assistant Dean is then responsible for submitting the official nomination to the Graduate School via email.

Eligibility & Nominations Criteria

Graduate teaching assistants who worked during the previous spring and summer semesters are eligible for recognition. Graduate teaching assistants who worked during the fall semester are also eligible.

Students cannot receive this award more than once during their graduate careers.

The outstanding classroom instructor is selected by documented student and faculty evaluations of their performance in a lecture format. Please provide the following information for the classroom instructor:

  1. A letter of nomination from the candidate's department chair or mentor.

  2. Two written evaluations of their teaching performance by their mentor or supervisor.

  3. Any other supporting materials deemed appropriate by the nominator.

  4. Portfolios of graded work and course preparations. If examinations are prepared, a written record of faculty mentoring of that aspect of their development should be included.

The outstanding laboratory instructor is selected by documented faculty evaluations of their performance in any laboratory, non-lecture format instruction. Please provide the following information for the laboratory instructor nominee:

  1. A letter of nomination from the candidate's department chair or mentor.

  2. Two written evaluations of their teaching performance by their mentor or supervisor.

  3. Any other supporting materials deemed appropriate by the nominator.

  4. Portfolios of materials used in laboratory presentations, for study guides, etc., if appropriate. Please note if these were prepared by the candidate or faculty mentor. If the examinations are prepared by the candidate, a written record of the faculty of this aspect of the candidate development should be included.

Nominations Process & Schedule

The Dean or nomination committee selects the college coordinator for this award. The departments/schools submit their college nominations (via the Dean's Office) and supporting documentation for their outstanding Graduate Teaching Award candidates.

Nominations should be submitted via email to the Graduate School and must include the following:

  • One nomination packet for the Outstanding Classroom Graduate Teaching Award in one PDF file.
  • One nomination packet for the Outstanding Laboratory Graduate Teaching Award in one PDF file.

The name of the person selected as the college representative to serve on the selection committee should be submitted to Missy Barber by email.

  • Selection of the College Coordinator and/or the College Nomination Committee by the Dean or Dean’s Designee: Monday, January 22, 2024.
  • Nomination packets need to be submitted to the College Nomination Committee (via the Dean’s Office): Monday, January 29, 2024.
  • Nominations submitted to the Graduate School: Monday, February 12, 2024.

The Associate Dean/Assistant Dean of the college must submit the nominations for their respective colleges to the Graduate School. Please send nomination packets to the Graduate School via emailPlease send it as one PDF file.

Awards & Presentation

Outstanding Graduate Teaching Assistant Award winners receive $1,000. Award recipients are announced at the annual Faculty Recognition and Awards ceremony.

Past Award Winners

  • Lee Golembiewski, College of Sciences, Psychology
  • Navid Safari, Strome College of Business, Finance
  • Joshua Ruffin, Criminal Justice, College of Arts & Letters
  • Kristen Eggler, Psychology, College of Sciences
  • Classroom - Mohammadali Beshati Koorank, Strome College of Business, Marketing
  • Laboratory - Heather Hamilton, College of Arts & Letters, Sociology & Criminal Justice
  • Classroom - Frank Wood, College of Arts & Letters, Sociology & Criminal Justice
  • Laboratory - John Mart DelosReyes, College of Sciences, Psychology
  • Classroom - Brittany Samulski, College of Health Sciences, Physical Therapy & Athletic Training
  • Laboratory - Hamed Yousefi, Strome College of Business, Finance

  • Lee Golembiewski, College of Sciences, Psychology
  • Navid Safari, Strome College of Business, Finance

  • Joshua Ruffin, Criminal Justice, College of Arts & Letters
  • Kristen Eggler, Psychology, College of Sciences

  • Classroom - Mohammadali Beshati Koorank, Strome College of Business, Marketing
  • Laboratory - Heather Hamilton, College of Arts & Letters, Sociology & Criminal Justice

  • Classroom - Frank Wood, College of Arts & Letters, Sociology & Criminal Justice
  • Laboratory - John Mart DelosReyes, College of Sciences, Psychology

  • Classroom - Brittany Samulski, College of Health Sciences, Physical Therapy & Athletic Training
  • Laboratory - Hamed Yousefi, Strome College of Business, Finance