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Professors are more than educators; the connection they build in and beyond the classroom shapes the lives of students. From their teaching to mentorship, guidance and advice, the bond formed during college years often extends beyond this period, creating lifelong connections.  

To recognize the great professionals working at the university, the Distinguished Teaching Award and the Outstanding Teaching Award are given to ����Թ� educators for their remarkable achievements.

Distinguished Teaching Award

The Distinguished Teaching Award, sponsored by the ����Թ� State Alumni Association, is based on student and alumni nominations and has been awarded to educators since 1967. It is the highest honor a tenured or tenure-track professor can receive from the university.

The 2024 Distinguished Teaching Awards recipients were:  

• Lisa Borgerding, Ph.D., professor, School of Teaching, Learning, and Curriculum Studies, ����Թ� Campus
• Richard Ferdig, Ph.D., the Summit Professor of Learning Technologies and professor of Educational Technology, ����Թ� Campus
• Eric Johnson, Ph.D., associate professor, Economics, ����Թ� Campus

Borgerding’s classes are filled with opportunities to prepare students for the workforce with hands-on experience. Through this, she is optimizing the experience her students have in her classroom, which helps them become better professionals.

“We build in these micro-teaching experiences where they plan and teach lessons to each other,” Borgerding told ����Թ� State Today. “Then we get to think about ‘What was working?’ ‘What can we fix?’ Each person as a teacher is different.”

Demonstrating care for the students through in-class activities is a shared trait between the educators. Ferdig pushes his students to achieve their best while providing support when students face adversities in class and life, demonstrating his care for them.

“When I got this award, it was one of the best things in my career," Ferdig said. “It’s like somebody is seeing and caring about the effort that you’re putting into the students.”

Johnson uses a conversational approach with engaging questions and applies the subjects to real-world situations to keep the students engaged with the class materials and boost their learning.  

“I would say that I do not underestimate the students,” he said. “I find that our students do not shy away from difficult classes, but rather welcome challenge.”

Outstanding Teaching Award

The Outstanding Teaching Award is a recognition awarded by the University Teaching Council to full-time, non-tenure-track and part-time faculty members. The students nominate the professors for being the most dedicated, highly effective and motivated professors at ����Թ� State.

The 2024 Outstanding Teaching Award recipients were:

• Shannon Ciesla, Ph.D., associate professor, Department of Psychological Sciences, ����Թ� Campus
• Kelsen LaBerge, Ph.D., engineering coordinator and associate professor, Engineering, ����Թ� Campus
• Cheryl Potenza-Radis, Ph.D., assistant professor, Early Childhood Education, ����Թ� Campus

Through Ciesla’s supportive and judgment-free approach and her enthusiasm for psychology she gained recognition.

“Everyone has their own unique set of stressors and life circumstances that they're approaching this material with,” Ciesla said. “I hope that my students take passion into their career and that they’re focused on helping people and making a difference.”

LaBerge focuses on creating a classroom experience to ensure the students will remember their time in her class and, therefore, the knowledge acquired.  

“I’m honored to receive this award,” LaBerge said, “but it’s also a reminder to keep growing. I don’t see this as a final recognition — it’s more of an incentive to keep adapting for each new class. Effective teaching means constantly refining, and I want to stay in that mindset.”

The need to constantly adapt is one of the many tasks that being an educator requires. For Potenza-Radis, her students need to see her as a colleague of the profession to obtain the most valuable experience.

“When I received the award, in my presentation I said how ‘teaching is not for the faint of heart,’” said Potenza-Radis. “It takes a lot, and you give a lot. But it’s all worth it in the end. So, it is very significant and important to receive such an honor.”

The Distinguished and Outstanding Teaching Award recipients were honored on Oct. 18, 2024, at the University Teaching Council meeting.