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. 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."
—Beth Ingram
“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