Teaching assistants recognized for excellence

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Graduate student teaching assistants gather outside the Women’s Building before the annual Dean’s Award for Teaching Excellence ceremony. Front row, from left: Ryan Soklaski, Blaire Weidler, Kei Fuchigami and Dale Kretz. Back row, from left: Jessica Joganic, Annelise Duerden, Annelise Wasmoen, Brooke Shafar and Stephanie Kaplan.
(Credit: Mary Butkus/WUSTL Photos)

Each spring, the dean of the Graduate School of Arts & Sciences at Washington University in St. Louis recognizes outstanding performance by graduate student teaching assistants during the annual Dean’s Award for Teaching Excellence ceremony.

Departments and programs within Arts & Sciences nominate teaching assistants who have displayed exemplary performance in the instruction of Arts & Sciences undergraduates. This year, nine PhD degree candidates were selected to receive the dean’s award.

William F. Tate, PhD, dean of the Graduate School of Arts & Sciences and vice provost for graduate education, presided over the awards ceremony, which was held April 23 in the Women’s Building Formal Lounge.

Tate, who is the Edward Mallinckrodt Distinguished University Professor in Arts & Sciences, presented each award recipient with a certificate of recognition and a $1,500 award. In addition, six graduate students earned honorable mention recognition.

To see a list of all the students recognized and brief bios of the 2014-15 Dean’s Award for Teaching Excellence recipients along with descriptions of their teaching, visit the graduate school’s website.