Award-Winning Faculty Recognized for Teaching Excellence

At Laurier, we share a deep commitment to academic achievement and a culture that fosters, supports and celebrates our teaching excellence. Laurier instructors have been recognized for their dedication, engagement and passion for teaching through a number of high-profile awards. A selection of these awards is listed below.

Donald F. Morgenson Awards for Teaching Excellence

Laurier’s Donald F. Morgenson Awards for Teaching Excellence honour those who, through their commitment to exemplary teaching, have made significant contributions to the educational experience of Laurier students. Recipients are recognized for both long-standing and early-career excellence, for being classroom innovators and mentors, and for embedding internationalization in to their curriculum and pedagogy.

2024 recipients 

• Sustained Excellence, full-time category: Maxwell Gwynn, Psychology
• Sustained Excellence, part-time category: Marybeth White, Religion & Culture
• Hoffman-Little Award for Faculty: Elizabeth Mitchell, Music Therapy
• Early Career Excellence, full-time category: Avis Beek, Education
• Early Career Excellence, part-time category: Elaine Cheng, Archaeology & Heritage Studies
• Innovation in Teaching: Jeremy Hunsinger, Communication Studies
• Faculty Mentoring Award: Michael Woodford, Lyle S. Hallman Faculty of Social Work
• Excellence in Internationalization: Simona Pruteanu, Languages and Literatures

Read about 2024's recipients!  

2023 recipients 

• Sustained Excellence, full-time category: Tracy Snoddon, Economics
• Sustained Excellence, part-time category: Sara Klinck, Music Therapy
• Hoffman-Little Award for Faculty: Hind Al-Abadleh, Chemistry and Biochemistry
• Early Career Excellence, full-time category: Lisa Kuron, Leadership
• Early Career Excellence, part-time category: Amilah Baksh, Social Work
• Excellence in Internationalization: Robert Ame, Human Rights and Human Diversity
• Innovation in Teaching: Jonathan Finn, Communication Studies
• Faculty Mentoring Award: Danielle Law, Psychology & Youth and Children's Studies
• Staff Award For Excellence in Teaching and Learning: Anne-marie Joy Henry, Laurier International

Read more about 2023's recipients and watch discussions with award winners about teaching practices, philosophies and inspirations!

2022 recipients

• Sustained Excellence Award: Kevin Spooner, History and North American Studies
• Hoffman-Little Award: Michael Cinelli, Kinesiology and Physical Education
• Early Career Excellence, full-time category: Jennifer Holm, Faculty of Education
• Early Career Excellence, part-time category: Colin Labadie, Faculty of Music
• Innovation in Teaching: Michelle Skop, Social Work
• Faculty Mentoring: Paula Fletcher, Kinesiology and Physical Education
• Staff Award for Excellence in Teaching and Learning: Lydia Awuah-Mensah, Career Development Centre

Learn more about 2022's recipients and watch Teaching Excellence: A Laurier Conversation Series for discussions with award winners about teaching practices, philosophies and inspirations. 

2021 recipients

• Sustained Excellence: Lillian DeBruin, Chemistry and Biochemistry 
• Hoffman-Little Award: Allison McDonald, Biology
• Early Career Excellence: Darren Thomas, Indigenous Studies
• Innovation in Teaching: Sunny Wang, Mathematics
• Internationalization Excellence: Andrew M. Robinson, Human Rights and Human Diversity
• Faculty Mentoring: Meena Sharify-Funk, Religion and Culture
• Staff Award for Excellence in Teaching and Learning: Crystal Shadwell, Faculty of Arts

Watch 2021 Teaching Excellence: A Laurier Conversation Series for discussions with award winners. 

2020 recipients

• Early Career Excellence: Meredith Woodwark, Lazaridis School of Business and Economics; and Sobia Iqbal, Biology, Health Sciences, Health Studies and Kinesiology
• Sustained Excellence: Susan Neylan, History; and Alexander Damm, Religion and Culture 
• Innovation in Teaching: Nathalie Freidel, Languages and Literatures 
• Faculty Mentoring: Jayne Kalmar, Kinesiology and Physical Education
• Staff Award for Excellence in Teaching and Learning:Karley Doucette and Jenna Olender, Learning Skills and Development (team category); and Ian Schwartz, Co-operative Education 

2019 recipients

• Early Career Excellence: Karin Schnarr, Lazaridis School of Business & Economics
• Sustained Excellence: Dana Sawchuk, Sociology
• Excellence in Innovation: Sherilyn Van De Wynckel, Chemistry & Biochemistry
• Excellence in Internationalization: Steve Sider, Faculty of Education
• Faculty Mentoring: Josephine McMurray, Business Technology Management

2018 recipients

• Early Career Excellence: Danielle Law, Youth and Children Studies and Psychology
• Sustained Excellence: Michael Ackerman, English; and Bina Mehta, North American Studies and Global Studies
• Excellence in Innovation: Julie Mueller, Education
• Excellence in Internationalization: Stacey Wilson-Forsberg, Human Rights and Human Diversity
• Faculty Mentoring: Carrie Sanders, Criminology
• Hoffman-Little Award: Alex Latta, Global Studies and Environmental Studies

Wilfrid Laurier University Teaching Fellowships

Laurier’s Teaching Fellows embody the highest ideals of teaching and leadership and work to encourage the success of all students. The Laurier Teaching Fellowship program honours faculty members who demonstrate exceptional contributions to teaching and learning and who have established an exemplary record of achievement in educational leadership. Teaching Fellows pursue individual programs of activities designed to enhance teaching quality and promote teaching excellence.

3M National Teaching Fellowships

Sponsored by the Society for Teaching and Learning in Higher Education and 3M Canada, this award is considered Canada’s most prestigious recognition of excellence in educational leadership and teaching at the university and college level, and celebrates exceptional achievement in teaching and educational leadership.

Laurier's 3M National Teaching Fellows:

• Eileen Wood (2016): Psychology
• Carol Duncan (2013): Religion and Culture
• Mercedes Rowinsky-Geurts (2008): Languages and Literatures
• Michel Desjardins (2001): Religion and Culture
• Michael Moore (1993): English and Film Studies

D2L Innovation Award in Teaching and Learning

The D2L (Desire to Learn) Innovation Award is designed to encourage innovative practices in all aspects of teaching and learning and is designed to recognize faculty who apply new or different pedagogical approaches, technologies, curricular enhancement, course design and organization and assessments.

• Stephen MacNeil (2018)

OCUFA Teaching Award

The Ontario Confederation of University Faculty Associations (OCUFA) teaching award recognizes outstanding performance in teaching.

Laurier's OCUFA award recipients:

• Donna Kotsopoulos (2014): Faculty of Education; Mathematics
• Edmund Pries (2014): Global Studies
• Stephen MacNeil (2012): Chemistry
• Eileen Wood (2012): Psychology
• Carol Duncan (2006): Religion and Culture
• Anne Westhues (2001): Social Work
• Martha Keniston Laurence (1997): Social Work
• Rosemary Fischer (1995): Music
• John Redekop (1993): Political Science
• Ervin Zentner (1978): Social Work

OUSA Award for Excellence in Teaching

Selected by students as an example of teaching excellence, the Ontario Undergraduate Student Alliance (OUSA) award recognizes educators who engage their students in the process of learning and discovery by helping them to develop the thinking and learning skills that form the foundation of a high-quality educational experience.

• Jeffery Klaehn (2023): Sociology
• Ken Jackson (2022): Economics
• Wing Hong Chan (2021): Economics
• Ehaab D. Abdou (2020): Global Studies
• Deanna Yerichuk (2019): Community Music
• Edmund Pries (2018): Global Studies; Social Entrepreneurship; Religion and Culture
• Scott Gallimore (2017): Archaeology and Classical Studies
  
• Chris Anderson (2016): Political Science
• Rebecca Godderis (2015): Community Health; Society, Culture and Environment
• Sofy Carayannopoulos (2014): School of Business and Economics
• Jason Roy (2013): Political Science
• Mercedes Rowinsky-Geurts (2012): Languages and Literatures
• Bruce McKay (2011): Psychology
• Kris Gerhardt (2010): Leadership; Psychology
• Kerry Lappin-Fortin (2009): Languages and Literatures

Laurier Faculty Award for Teaching Excellence (2001-2017)

• Richelle Monaghan, Health Studies and Biology (2017 Early Career Excellence)
• Tristan Long, Biology (2017 Sustained Excellence)
• Debra Nash-Chambers, Arts, Liberal Arts, and Human and Social Sciences (2017 Sustained Excellence in Teaching)
• Shoshana Pollack, Social Work (2017 Excellence in Innovation)
• Ali Zaidi, Global Studies (2017 Excellence in Internationalization)
• Vanessa Oliver, Youth and Children’s Studies (2016 Early Career Excellence)
• Jennifer Long, Anthropology (2016 Early Career Excellence)
• M. Kristiina Montero, Education (2016 Sustained Excellence)
• Chris Klassen, Religion and Culture (2016 Sustained Excellence)
• Excellence in Innovation: Lee Willingham, Music (2016 Excellence in Innovation)
• Alicia McKenzie, Medieval Studies and History (2016 Excellence in Innovation)
• Bruce McKay (2015): Psychology
• Kaylena Ehgoetz Martens (2015): Psychology
• Ken Maly (2014): Chemistry and Biochemistry
• Terry Sturtevant (2014): Physics and Computer Science
• Rob Milne (2013): Geography and Environmental Studies
• Duane Heide (2013): Education
• Penelope Ironstone (2012): Communication Studies
• Ronald Ross (2012): Archaeology/Medieval Studies
• Stephen MacNeil (2011): Chemistry
• Edmund Pries (2011): Global Studies
• Eileen Wood (2010): Psychology
• Fiona Rawle (2010): Biology
• Bill McTeer (2009): Kinesiology and Physical Education
• John Stephens (2009): Psychology
• Mary-Louise Byrne (2008): Geography and Environmental Studies
• Camie Condon (2008): Psychology
• Nora Znotinas (2007): Physics and Computer Science
• Marshall Ward (2007): Fine Arts
• Catherine Black (2006): Languages and Literatures
• Bob Gebotys (2005): Psychology
• Joanna Ochocka (2005): Psychology
• Carol Duncan (2004): Religion and Culture
• Richard Ennis (2004): Psychology
• Howard Teall (2003): Business and Economics
• Sherrene Kevan (2003): Biology
• Cynthia Comacchio (2002): History
• Michel Desjardins (2001): Religion and Culture
• Sheila McKee-Protopapas (2001): Biology

Wilfrid Laurier University Outstanding Teacher Award (1978-2000)

• Mercedes Rowinsky-Geurts (2000): Languages and Literatures
• Richard Walsh-Bowers (1999): Psychology
• Martha K. Laurence (1998): Social Work
• Gordon H.G. McDougall (1996): Business and Economics
• Rosemary G. Fischer (1995): Music
• Anne Westhues (1994): Social Work
• John H. Redekop (1992): Political Science
• Michael D. Moore (1991): English and Film Studies
• T.F. (Tupper) Cawsey (1990): Business and Economics
• Peter C. Erb (1989): Religion and Culture
• Donald F. Morgenson (1988): Psychology
• Victor Martens (1987): Music
• Glenn E. Carroll (1986): Business and Economics
• Jane L. Campbell (1986): English and Film Studies
• Lawrence E. Toombs (1980): Religion and Culture
• Jerry A. Hall (1979): Geography and Environmental Studies
• James R. McCutcheon (1978): Business and Economics