UWs Teman Receives Ellbogen Meritorious Classroom Teaching Award

Ever since he was in middle school, Eric Teman knew he wanted to be a college professor. And, though he admits he had little idea -- beyond teaching college kids -- what that actually meant at that time, Teman knew he wanted to be a passionate, effective and inspiring teacher. 

Many of his University of Wyoming colleagues and students think he is, indeed, passionate, effective and inspiring.  

Teman, a UW assistant professor in the School of Counseling, Leadership, Advocacy and Design, is among three recipients of the John P. Ellbogen Meritorious Classroom Teaching Award, established in 1977 by businessman John P. “Jack” Ellbogen, to “foster, encourage and reward excellence in classroom teaching at UW.” Other Ellbogen winners are Ryan Kobbe, an associate lecturer in the Department of Civil and Architectural Engineering; and Amy Spiker, a senior lecturer in the School of Teacher Education. 

“It’s so nice to hear these amazing words from my students and colleagues. It warms my heart immensely,” says Teman, who has been teaching at UW since 2014. “Winning the Ellbogen Meritorious Classroom Teaching Award validates, for me, all of these pursuits toward teaching excellence.” 

Courtney McKim, an associate professor in the School of Counseling, Leadership, Advocacy and Design, and one of Teman’s nominators, praised him for his willingness to accommodate distance students by offering a face-to-face course via Zoom, so students who did not live in Laramie could participate in class discussion.

“Without exception, the doctoral students in literacy have identified Eric as one of their best teachers ever,” says Cynthia Brock, the Wyoming Excellence in Higher Education Endowed Chair in Literacy Education. “Given the high quality of teachers in the UW College of Education, this is truly high praise for Eric and his teaching.”

Some of his students offered high praise, as well.

“Dr. Teman is the first professor I have had that made me wish I was in a physical classroom for a face-to-face lecture,” says one student in a student evaluation. “His video lectures are so good. I imagine his in-class lectures must be truly amazing.”

Another student adds, “The way Teman runs his online course should be an exemplar for other instructors. He was very hands-on, and I did not feel distant just because it was a distance learning course.”

Teman received his Ph.D. and master’s degree in applied statistics and research methods; and his bachelor’s degree in business administration (finance), all from the University of Northern Colorado. He also received a Juris Doctor from the University of Denver.

He received the Mary Garland Early Career Fellowship from UW’s College of Education in 2015. Teman has made numerous national and international presentations, and contributed a book chapter to “Ethics in Social Science Research: Becoming Culturally Responsive.”

He is a member of seven professional groups, including the Northern Rocky Mountain Educational Research Association.