Danyel Fogarty
Staff Writer
Each year the University of La Verne recognizes four outstanding professors with an Excellence in Teaching Award.
Students and faculty are able to nominate their favorite professor by submitting a typed statement to the Provost’s office about why they think their favorite professor should receive this award.
“We really want to get involvement from the students this year,” secretary to the provost Debra Martin said. “When students nominate their favorite professor it shows how much the professor’s are appreciated by not only the faculty but the students as well.”
Two undergraduate professors and two graduate professors will receive the award.
After receiving the award a professor must wait seven years to be eligible for another nomination.
“It was truly an honor to be given such a distinction at a university which truly emphasizes teaching and has so many outstanding professors and students,” said Professor of French Gerard Lavatori, who has been teaching at ULV since 1991 and was last year’s recipient of the undergraduate award.
This year’s award ceremony will be on May 11 at 11:30 a.m. in Founders Auditorium.
Recipients will receive a framed certificate and an honorarium.
John Hultman, graduate professor of law and a 2002-2003 recipient of this award, felt like this was an honor he never dreamed he could receive.
“When my name was announced as the recipient, I was sitting next to one of my colleagues,” Hultman said. “I was stunned, and I looked to my left and right to make sure I wasn’t dreaming.”
A few things faculty and students should look for when nominating their favorite professors are the impact and involvement with students, the contributions to education, the community and profession and if the professor uses a scholarly approach to teaching.
Richard Simpson, professor of business and last year’s recipient of the teaching award, has high expectations for his students and tries to personalize the course to each student.
“I utilize all sorts of combinations of teaching techniques as acknowledgement of the different learning styles and cultures that are my students,” Simpson said.
The deadline for submitting this year’s nominations is April 8 at 5 p.m. to the Provost’s Office in Founders Hall 214.
For more information on the Excellence in Teaching Awards contact Martin in the Provost’s Office at (909) 593-3511 Ext. 4242.
Danyel Fogarty can be reached at adeyez619@hotmail.com.
Journalism operations manager at the University of La Verne. Production manager and business manager of the Campus Times.