College of Liberal Arts Teaching Awards
Rebecca Symula, instructional associate professor of Biology, is the 2023 Liberal Arts Outstanding Instructor of the Year.
Rebecca Katherine Marchiel, associate professor of History, is the 2023 Cora Lee Graham Outstanding Teacher of Freshmen.
- CORA LEE GRAHAM AWARDS FOR OUTSTANDING TEACHING OF FIRST-YEAR STUDENTS
In 1984, Cora Lee Graham of Union City, Tennessee, established an endowment “to help retain better professors who teach the freshman classes” in the College of Liberal Arts. Criteria for this annual award include, but are not limited to, excellence of class instruction, intellectual stimulation of students, and concern for students’ welfare. Recipients are recognized during the College’s commencement ceremony, have their name added to an award plaque in the Dean’s office, and receive $1,000. Eligibility for these awards is open to all full-time faculty in the College of Liberal Arts who are actively involved in teaching 100- or 200-level courses or other courses intended primarily for freshmen. As of 2023, two awards are given: one for tenured/tenure-track and the other for Instructional faculty. Temporary and visiting faculty, as well as previous recipients, are not eligible.
PAST RECIPIENTS
Maria José García Otero, associate professor of Spanish, is the 2023 Howell Family Outstanding Teacher of the Year.
- HOWELL FAMILY OUTSTANDING TEACHER OF THE YEAR
In 1985, the College of Liberal Arts began recognizing the Liberal Arts Outstanding Teacher of the Year. Criteria for the annual award include, but are not limited to, excellence of class instruction, intellectual stimulation of students, and concern for students’ welfare. Recipients are recognized during the College of Liberal Arts commencement ceremony, have their name added to an award plaque in the Dean’s office, and receive $1,000. All full-time faculty, in the College of Liberal Arts, who are actively teaching courses at any level, are eligible. Temporary and visiting faculty, as well as previous recipients, are not eligible.
PAST RECIPIENTS
Beth Spencer, senior lecturer of English, is the 2023 University of Mississippi Humanities Teacher of the Year.
- UNIVERSITY OF MISSISSIPPI HUMANITIES TEACHER OF THE YEAR
The College of Liberal Arts and the Mississippi Humanities Council cosponsor the Humanities Teacher of the Year Award, recognizing outstanding contributions of humanities faculty at the University of Mississippi with a free public lecture in Oxford and at the Mississippi Humanities Council annual awards ceremony in Jackson in the spring.