The Outstanding Graduate Teaching Assistant Award honors graduate teaching assistants who have demonstrated exceptional instructional quality.
Since 1996, Old Dominion University has honored graduate teaching assistants (GTAs) who show exceptional skill in the classroom or lab. Two university-wide winners—one for Laboratory Instruction and one for Classroom Instruction—will each receive $1,000 and be recognized at the Monarch Moments event in March.
Important Deadlines
- February 27, 2026: Final deadline for Colleges to submit their two winners (one per category) to the Graduate School at graduateschool@odu.edu.
- March 23, 2026: Winners will be honored at the Monarch Milestones event.
Eligibility Criteria
To be eligible, a nominee must:
- Be a graduate teaching assistant (GTA) who worked during the previous Spring, Summer, or Fall semesters.
- Not have received this award previously during their graduate career.
- Have demonstrated exceptional instructional quality in either a laboratory (non-lecture) or classroom (lecture) setting.
Submission Requirements
Each College should submit two separate nomination packets (one for Lab, one for Classroom). Each packet must be a single PDF file containing:
For Outstanding Laboratory Instructor:
- Letter of Nomination from the Department Chair or mentor clearly describing evidence of excellence in teaching in the laboratory setting.
- (Optional) Supporting Materials: Portfolios of lab presentations or study guides (please clarify if the candidate or a faculty member created these).
For Outstanding Classroom Instructor:
- Letter of Nomination from the Department Chair or mentor that clearly describes the evidence of excellence in teaching in the classroom.
- (Optional) Supporting Materials: Portfolios of graded work and course preparations, including any exams prepared by the candidate, etc.
Note to Colleges/Schools
Each College is responsible for its own internal selection process. Send the final selection of winners to graduateschool@odu.edu by the Friday, February 27, 2026 deadline
Past Award Winners
- Classroom Winner
Susana Avalos, College of Arts & Letters, Department of Criminology & Criminal Justice
- Laboratory Winner
Alissa Ganley, College of Sciences, Department of Biological Sciences
- 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
- Classroom Winner
Susana Avalos, College of Arts & Letters, Department of Criminology & Criminal Justice
- Laboratory Winner
Alissa Ganley, College of Sciences, Department of Biological Sciences
- 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