The University of Iowa has named 30 teaching assistants the winners of the Outstanding Teaching Assistant Awards for 2013-14. Winners receive a certificate of achievement and $1,000. They were honored at an award reception on Wednesday, May 7.

In opening remarks, Associate Provost for Undergraduate Education Beth Ingram spoke to the teaching assistants about the role they play at a leading research university.

“You have a deeper influence than you might think—convincing a student she can learn calculus, persuading someone to major in philosophy or political science, helping a student see the world differently,” Ingram said. “You form the backbone of what we do, and I deeply value the commitment that each of you has made to our students and to the University of Iowa.”

Shelly Campo, chair of the Council on Teaching, says that “selecting and honoring these outstanding TAs is one of the most important things we do as a Council. These excellent teachers play a key role in carrying out the university’s mission. Most importantly, they’ve each made a real difference to the undergraduates in their classrooms.”

The awardees are teaching assistants who taught for at least one semester during the spring, summer, or fall of 2013. Nominations for the awards were sought from students, faculty, colleagues, departmental officers, and deans.

The Council on Teaching has presented the awards each year since 1988. The list of previous award winners can be found here.

The 2013-14 Outstanding Teaching Assistants are as follows. Hometown information was not available for all awardees.

Tippie College of Business

Management and Organizations: Cody Reeves, Lindon, Utah

College of Education

Psychological and Quantitative Foundations: Kristin Menke, Iowa City, Iowa

Teaching and Learning: Mark Sulze, Cedar Rapids, Iowa

College of Engineering

Civil and Environmental Engineering: Clinton Van Winkle, Iowa City, Iowa

College of Liberal Arts and Sciences

Biology: Katelin Ahlers, Marshall, Minnesota

Biology: Linh Bui,Thu Dau Mot Town, Vietnam

Chemistry: Robert Matthiesen, Delano, Minnesota

Chemistry: Justine Olson, Roseville, Minnesota

Classics: Michael Overholt, Iowa City, Iowa

Communication Studies: Brook Irving, Mount Pleasant, South Carolina

Communication Studies: Benjamin Morton, Iowa City, Iowa

English: Stephanie Grossnickle-Batterton

English: Benjamin Miele, Highlands Ranch, Colorado

English: Taryne Taylor

French and Italian: Steven LeVillain, Iowa City, Iowa

History: Gabriel Baker, Saint Charles, Missouri

History: Kristi DiClemente, Iowa City, Iowa

Journalism and Mass Communication: Stephanie Mile, Longview, Texas

Mathematics: Christine Caples, Quincy, Massachusetts

Mathematics: Jessica Williams, Keavy, Kentucky

Music: Nicholas Miguel, Iowa City, Iowa

Philosophy: Brian Collins, Iowa City, Iowa

Rhetoric: Bryan Asbury, Normal, Illinois

Rhetoric: Heather Ann Roy, Baldwinsville, New York

Rhetoric: Bethany Smith, Iowa City, Iowa

Russian: Olga Kulikova, Russia

Spanish and Portuguese: Stacey Alex, Des Moines, Iowa

Carver College of Medicine

Biochemistry: Mark Miller, Kalona, Iowa

College of Public Health

Epidemiology: Cassandra Spracklen, North Liberty, Iowa

Graduate College

Molecular and Cellular Biology: Andrew Spracklen, Pekin, Illinois