25th Annual Teaching Excellence Awards Celebrate Outstanding Educators
May 2, 2024 - Geneva Sandoval
The University of New Mexico (UNM) Center for Teaching and Learning, the College of Arts & Sciences, the Honors College and the Teaching Enhancement Committee held UNM’s 25th Annual Teaching Excellence Awards ceremony yesterday at the Anderson School of Management’s Jackson Student Center.
These teaching awards honor the excellence of faculty, lecturers, adjunct instructors, and graduate teaching assistants who have made exceptional strides in curriculum development and student mentoring while advancing UNM’s educational mission.
President Garnett S. Stokes opened the formal presentations by saying, “We are here today to honor the most creative and committed faculty and leaders that we have on our campus...To recognize the best of our Lobo educators."
“I am so grateful not only for your knowledge and your expertise,” she continued, “but also for the compassion and creativity that you exhibit and your commitment to your students, your colleagues and to the University of New Mexico... Every day you are changing lives and changing the world, and I wanted to be here to celebrate the very best of the very best.”
Of the 16 UNM faculty and graduate teaching assistants recognized for their outstanding achievements, 13 were from the College of Arts & Sciences:
Presidential Teaching FellowLeola Tsinnajinnie PaquinAssociate Professor Department of Native American Studies | Outstanding Teacher of the YearEli WilsonAssistant Professor Department of Sociology & Criminology |
Lecturer of the YearIrina MeierSenior Lecturer III Department of Languages, Cultures & Literatures | Early Career Teacher of the YearNahir I. Otaño GraciaAssistant Professor Department of English Language & Literature |
Online Teacher of the YearCristina ReiserSenior Lecturer III Department of Economics | Teaching Excellence Award for Tenured or Tenure-Track FacultyAdrian JohnstonDistinguished Professor Department of Philosophy
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Teaching Excellence Award for Graduate Teaching AssistantsKani Aniegboka Carlos Maestas-Olguin
| Teaching Excellence Award for Adjunct InstructorsLisa Myers
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Kwabena Dabie from the Department of Chemistry & Chemical Biology, Erick Pineda from the Department of Spanish & Portuguese, and Kani Aniegboka & Julie Peterman from the Department of English Language & Literature received the Susan Deese-Roberts Outstanding Teaching Assistants of the Year Award.
Presidential Teaching Fellow of the Year, Leola Paquin, emphasized the influence her family ties have on her teaching style.
“I know each of you have rich family histories that make you who you are, your friends,your colleagues, your communities, and that makes us strong, rich teachers. These are the basics for my teaching philosophy and how I build relationships with students... Nourishing their passions is what makes their educational experience strong.”
In her appreciation, she thanked her colleagues and her students, confirming, “You are the reason I am here.”
Each awardee was praised by colleagues and students alike for their unwavering dedication and the passion that shines through their teaching to enrich the lives of their students.
The College of Arts & Sciences congratulates all awardees for their outstanding achievements in teaching excellence!
