When you think about great teachers in your life, what do you think of? Their intelligence? Their ability to help you learn? The transformative experiences they created both inside and outside of the classroom? The confidence they gave you to do things you never thought you could do? Their ability to make you feel seen and heard as the unique individual that you are? The extra time and effort they invested in your academic and personal success?

Weber State University students said YES to all of these in their nomination letters on behalf of their professors for the prestigious Presidential Teaching Excellence Award. Take a look at just a few of their comments from the 100-plus nominations that came in this year.

“Dr. Tariq Arif is incredibly smart but has a fantastic ability to communicate that knowledge in a way that can be understood by students. He truly cares about seeing all his students succeed.”

“Dr. Ryan Cain not only explains abstract function concepts in a lively way, but also always pays attention to each student’s learning status. His patience and care not only helped me overcome my learning difficulties, but also sparked my strong interest in data science.”

“As an undergraduate and a nontraditional student, I have found learning a foreign language to be a formidable endeavor. Yet, Professor Aubrey Jones leverages every pedagogical tool to foster our abilities, balancing time-honored techniques with innovative challenges that keep our learning environment vibrant and engaging.”

“Dr. Nazneen Ahmad’s encouragement and guidance extend well beyond the classroom. With her support, I submitted my research to WSU’s undergraduate research journal, ERGO, and the article was successfully published.”

“One of Dr. Bridget Hilbig’s remarkable strengths lies in her innovative and inclusive teaching methods. She goes above and beyond to tailor lessons to meet the individual needs of each student, ensuring that every student has the opportunity to reach their full potential.”

“Dr. McGillivray is one of the best professors and mentors I have ever had. She truly wants you to learn and grow from not only your mistakes but also your successes.”

“Professor Matthew Thue has been a great teacher that presents ideas and allows you to formulate your own opinion. He has been great at letting us think for ourselves.”

“Dr. Nicola Corbin is the most attentive, genuine and experienced professor that I have ever had the privilege of meeting. First, she is always so kind and genuinely interested in her students’ well-being. Second, she really knows her stuff!”

These faculty members live up to my favorite part of WSU’s positioning statement: “We know how to challenge you and we care enough to do it.” To me, this is at the crux of teaching excellence and, clearly, our students agree.

At many universities, this kind of transformative teaching happens without much fanfare or recognition. That just isn’t acceptable at Weber State, a place I affectionately refer to as the teaching university in the state. We pride ourselves on teaching excellence.

With the generous support of Bob and Marcia Harris, WSU publicly celebrates 12 outstanding teachers annually. Current and former students, along with faculty and staff colleagues, nominate these teachers by sharing the ways their teaching excellence has manifested students’ success. Then, at the start of each spring semester, WSU President Brad Mortensen surprises each recipient with a visit to their class and announces their selection as a recipient of the prestigious Presidential Teaching Excellence Award. Later in the semester, the recipients are honored in front of their peers and family members at the annual faculty Thrive Symposium and banquet.

Teaching is both an art and a science, making it one of the most difficult professions to master. When done well, teaching has the power to transform an individual’s life. That is an awesome responsibility worth celebrating!

Congratulations to this year’s recipients. Well done on mastering teaching excellence and having such a profound impact in the lives of your students.

• Nazneen Ahmad, economics.
• Tariq Arif, mechanical engineering.
• Justin Burr, health sciences.
• Ryan Cain, teacher education.
• Nicola Corbin, communications.
• London Draper Lowe, nursing.
• Valerie Gooder, nursing.
• Bridget Hilbig, botany and plant ecology.
• Aubrey Jones, world languages and cultures.
• Shannon McGillivray, psychological science.
• Jean Norman, communications.
• Matthew Thue, business administration and marketing.

Brenda Marsteller Kowalewski is a sociologist and vice provost for High Impact Educational Experiences, Faculty Excellence, International and Graduate Programs at Weber State University.

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