Faculty & Staff Awards

Faculty Awards

University of Minnesota-wide Awards

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Horace T. Morse Award for Outstanding Contributions to Undergraduate Education

Each year since 1965-66, the University of Minnesota has recognized a select group of faculty members for their outstanding contributions to undergraduate education. This honor is awarded to exceptional candidates nominated by colleges in their quest to identify excellence in undergraduate education. 

2025-2026

  • Jennifer Jones, Studies in Justice, Culture & Social Change

2024-2025

  • Jeanine Weekes Schroer, Philosophy
  • Carter Meland, American Indian Studies

2023-2024

  • David Syring, Studies in Justice, Culture, and Social Change

2022-2023

  • Ryan Bergstrom, Environment, Sustainability, and Geography
  • Burke Scarbrough, English, Linguistics, & Writing Studies

2018-2019

  • Mitra Emad, Studies in Justice, Culture, and Social Change

2008-2009

  • Justin Rubin, Music

Exemplary University-Community Partnership Award

2025-2026

  • Aparna Katre, World Languages & Cultures

Justice, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Award

This award honors faculty who have done significant research, teaching or service/leadership to advance justice, equity, diversity and inclusion at the University, in the person's field of study, or in our broader community. These awards are meant to advance and elevate equity work; provide funding in recognition of the value of that work; and showcase critical scholarship, pedagogy, and community engagement.

2024-2025

  • Ryan Goei, Communication

2022-2023

  • Jeanine Weekes Schroer, Philosophy

John Tate Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Advising

The Tate Awards serve to recognize and reward high-quality academic advising. They call attention to the contribution academic advising makes to helping students formulate and achieve intellectual, career, and personal goals. By highlighting examples of outstanding advising, the Tate Awards identify professional models and celebrate the role that academic advising plays in the University’s educational mission.

2024-2025

  • Jennifer Webb, Art & Design

McKnight Presidential Fellows Award

This is a three-year award given to those granted both tenure and promotion to associate professor in an academic year. It recognizes recipients who are recommended by their college deans as being truly outstanding in their fields. The award is based on research and scholarly excellence, leadership, potential to build top-tier programs, and ability to advance University of Minnesota priorities.

University of Minnesota Duluth Awards

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Chancellor's Award for Excellence in Teaching

This award recognizes faculty who have made contributions to the teaching mission of UMD that are of extraordinary quality and reflect UMD’s emphasis on high quality undergraduate and graduate education.This award honors faculty for innovative pedagogy, development of creative and critical thinking, student mentoring, commitment to liberal education, and leadership and impact within a department.

2025-2026

  • Less than 10 Years of Service: Kai Vance, Communication

2024-2025

  • Rebecca Boyle, English, Linguistics, and Writing Studies  
     

Chancellor's Award for Distinguished Research/Creative Activity

Chancellor's Award for Outstanding Public Service

This award honors faculty who have demonstrated extraordinary and sustained commitment to public service and community engagement. It recognizes faculty who have integrated civic and community engagement in their teaching; shown leadership in advancing students’ civic learning; conducted community-based research; fostered community partnerships; promoted the scholarship of engagement among his/her colleagues; or made contributions to positive change on issues of public concern.

2025-2026

  • Joseph Lane, Environment, Sustainability & Geography

2024-2025

  • Burke Scarbrough, English, Linguistics, and Writing Studies  

CAHSS Awards

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Albert Tezla Teacher/Scholar Award

This award was given to a faculty member in the College of Liberal Arts or the School of Fine Arts who has an exceptional and effective teaching style that emphasizes the worth of research in a learned discipline and the maturing impact scholarly activity has on the development of human attitudes and values.

2018-2019

  • Edward Downs, Communication

Outstanding Faculty Advisor Award

2018-2019

  • Rachel Inselman, Music
  • Weiqing Zhang, World Languages & Cultures

Staff Awards

University of Minnesota Duluth Awards

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Outstanding Staff Award

2024-2025

  • Bridget Park, Geography & Philosophy

CAHSS Awards

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Staff Awards

2023-2024

  • Mia O'Brien, History, Political Science, and International Studies
  • Michele Larson, English, Linguistics, and Writing Studies
  • Thomas Dorr, CAHSS Dean's Office

2022-2023

  • Donald Schraufnagel, Facility Manager and Technical Director, Weber Music Hall
  • Lindsay Brown, Advising 

2021–2022

  • Gabrielle Scott, Advising
  • Andrea Sande, Studies in Justice, Culture, & Social Change

2020-2021

  • Cindy Christian, Alworth Institute for International Studies
  • Rae Ann Johnson, Art & Design

2019-2020 

  • Tami Lawlor, American Indian Studies
  • John Boucha, Dean's Office

2018-2019

  • Debbie Rose, Studies in Justice, Culture, & Social Change

2017-2018 

  • Bridget Park, Geography & Philosophy
  • Pam Spencer, Advising