Teaching Excellence at Lawrence | Lawrence University

Awards for Excellence in Teaching and Scholarship

Each year at graduation, faculty are recognized for their excellence in teaching and scholarship.

+ University Award for Excellence in Teaching

In 1959, the Uhrig Foundation created at Lawrence an award to recognize "outstanding performance in the actual teaching process, including leadership in the quest to ensure that students reach their full development as individuals, human beings and future leaders of society." This award--renamed in 1974 the University Award for Excellence in Teaching--has for three decades been given to teachers who have, over the course of distinguished careers at Lawrence, met these high standards.

University Award for Excellence in Teaching

2015   Dane Richeson, Conservatory of Music
2014   Tim Spurgin, English
2013   Marcia Bjørnerud, Geology
2012   Thomas Ryckman, Philosophy
2011   Eilene Hoft-March, French and Francophone Studies
2010   David Becker, Conservatory of Music
2009   Michael Orr, Art History
2008   Paul Cohen, History
2007   Richard Bjella, Conservatory of Music
2006   Karen Carr, Religious Studies
2005   Fred Sturm, Conservatory of Music
2004   Carol Lawton, Art History
2003   Richard Sanerib, Mathematics
2002   Brad Rence, Biology
2001   Steven Jordheim, Conservatory of Music
2000   Bruce Pourciau, Mathematics
1999   Franklin Doeringer, History and East Asian Languages and Cultures
1998   Daniel Taylor, Classics
1997   Corry Azzi, Economics
1996   Ken Bozeman, Conservatory of Music
1995   John Brandenberger, Physics
1994   William Bremer, History
1993   Michael Hittle, History
1992   Sumner Richman, Biology
1991   Minoo Adenwalla, Government
1990   David Cook, Physics
1989   John Dreher, Philosophy
1988   Peter Fritzell, English
1987   Robert Rosenberg, Chemistry
1986   Mojmir Povolny, Government
1985   Charles Breunig, History
1984   Miriam Duncan, Conservatory of Music
1983   Michael LaMarca, Biology
1982   James Ming, Conservatory of Music
1981   Leonard Thompson, Religious Studies
1980   Dorrit Friedlander, German
1979   Ronald Mason, Anthropology
1978   James Dana, Economics
1977   Marjory Irvin, Conservatory of Music
1976   Bertrand Goldgar, English
1975   George Walter, Education
1974   John Bucklew, Psychology

Uhrig Award

1973   William Chaney, History
1972   Fred Schroeder, Conservatory of Music
1971   Andrew C. Berry, Mathematics
1970   Chong-do Hah, Government
1969   George Smalley, Slavic
1968   Carl Wellman, Philosophy & Maurice Cunningham, Classics
1967   Elisabeth Koffka, History
1966   E. Graham Waring, Religion
1965   Merton M. Sealts, English
1964   Mr. & Mrs. W. Paul Gilbert, Physics and Biology
1963   Anne P. Jones, French
1962   William H. Riker, Government
1961   Warren Beck, English
1960   William A. McConagha, Economics

+ Award for Excellence in Scholarship or Creative Activity

First presented in 2006, this award recognizes the importance of excellence in scholarly and creative work for advancing the mission of Lawrence University. Preference in selection is given to those who have demonstrated sustained programs of excellent work for a number of years and whose work exemplifies the ideals of the teacher/scholar.

2015   Arnold Shober, Government
2014   Monica Rico, History
2013   Michael Mizrahi, Conservatory of Music and Claudena Skran, Government
2012   John Shimon & Julie Lindemann, Art & Art History and Peter Peregrine, Anthropology
2011   Phillip Swan, Conservatory of Music and Peter Glick, Psychology
2010   Patrice Michaels, Conservatory of Music and Jerald Podair, History
2009   Bruce Pourciau, Mathematics and David McGlynn, English
2008   Bertrand Goldgar, English and Fred Sturm, Conservatory of Music
2007   Marcia Bjørnerud, Geology
2006   John Brandenberger, Physics

+ Young Teacher Award

The training, support, and encouragement of new faculty are among Lawrence's most important responsibilities. As part of that effort, the Young Teacher Award is given annually to an untenured member of the faculty who has demonstrated excellence in the classroom and the promise of continued growth.

2015   Sara Gross Ceballos, Conservatory of Music
2014   Stephen Sieck, Conservatory of Music
2013   Peter John Thomas, Russian
2012   Samantha George, Conservatory of Music
2011   Scott Corry, Mathematics
2010   Dominica Chang, French and Francophone Studies
2009   Andrew Mast, Conservatory of Music
2008   Megan Pickett, Physics
2007   Julie McQuinn, Conservatory of Music
2006   Faith Barrett, English
2005   Rosa Tapia, Spanish
2004   Karen Nordell Pearson , Chemistry
2003   Randall McNeill, Classics
2002   Joy Jordan, Statistics
2001   Jeffrey Clark, Geology
2000   Brigetta Miller, Conservatory of Music
1999   Rebecca Matveyev, Russian
1998   Wendy Nicholson, History
1997   Karen Harpp, Chemistry
1996   Elizabeth DeStasio, Biology
1995   Todd McGrain, Art
1994   Bridget Michaele-Reischl, Conservatory of Music
1993   Timothy Spurgin, English
1992   Michael Orr, Art History
1991   Eilene Hoft-March, French
1990   Allen Gimbel, Conservatory of Music
1989   Karen Carr, Religious Studies
1988   Nicholas Keelan, Conservatory of Music
1987   Alan Parks, Mathematics
1986   Thomas Ryckman, Philosophy
1985   Bradford Rence, Biology
1984   Ernestine Whitman, Conservatory of Music
1983   Fred Sturm, Conservatory of Music
1982   Carol Lawton, Art History
1981   George Saunders, Anthropology
1980   Kenneth Bozeman, Conservatory of Music
1979   Richard Sanerib, Mathematics
1978   Douglas Greenberg, History
1977   Colin Murdoch, Conservatory of Music
1976   Frank Doeringer, History
1975   Sonia Kovitz, Slavic

+ Freshman Studies Teaching Award

Freshman Studies —a two-term, interdisciplinary core course required of all freshmen — is the foundation of the Lawrence curriculum. The faculty members from across the university who teach in the program do more than pass along information; they model for students the challenging process of grappling with difficult or unfamiliar works, cultures, and ideas. In short, they help students learn how to learn. Each year since 1994, one faculty member has been recognized by the university for excellence in the teaching of Freshman Studies.

2015 Peter John Thomas, Russian
2014   Gene Biringer, Conservatory of Music
2013   Steven Jordheim, Conservatory of Music
2012   Terry Gottfried, Psychology
2011   Andrew Mast, Conservatory of Music
2010   Karen Hoffmann, English
2009   Pete Gilbert, Library
2008   Elizabeth Carlson, Art History
2007   Alan E. Parks, Mathematics
2006   Michael Orr, Art History
2005   David Hall, Chemistry
2004   Timothy X. Troy, Theatre Arts
2003   Howard Niblock, Music
2002   John Dreher, Philosophy
2001   Mary Blackwell, Chemistry
2000   Dirck Vorenkamp, Religious Studies
1999   Paul Cohen, History
1998   Carol Lawton, Art History
1997   Eilene Hoft-March, French
1996   Kathryn Kueny, Religious Studies
1995   Geoff Gajewski, Center for Academic Success
1994   Elizabeth DeStasio, Biology & Tim Spurgin, English

Course Evaluations

Course Evaluations (PDF) - a list of questions that are used for end-of-term course evaluations, which are administered online through the Office of Research Administration. Some questions are standard for all courses. Additional questions are added if a course has additional attributes (i.e. a speaking intensive course, a laboratory course, and ensemble, etc . . .)

Lawrence is, first and foremost, an undergraduate teaching institution, and excellence in teaching is therefore the paramount objective of our faculty members. All faculty are expected to demonstrate not only a sound knowledge of the discipline in which they teach, but an ability to convey that discipline clearly and appropriately--to deliver engaging lectures, lead fruitful discussions, develop challenging assignments. They are expected to be accessible to students and proficient as advisors. The faculty's extraordinary commitment to teaching is reflected in the fact that more than half the courses taken by Lawrence students are in the form of one-on-one tutorials and independent studies.