UW Selects Top First-Year Course Instructors

Thirty-six University of Wyoming instructors who inspire excitement, inquiry and autonomy in first-year courses are this year’s Promoting Intellectual Engagement (PIE) Award recipients.

PIE Award recipients were nominated online by first- and second-year students, and then they were selected by a committee based on the number of nominations and students’ comments. The committee reviewed nearly 400 nominations this year.

“She was an incredible first-year professor because she was always willing to answer any question,” one student commented regarding a nominee. “She also constantly reminded the class of events and resources available to us around campus that first-year students would not have known about. She introduced us to many clubs and told us when they were meeting and also was just a very friendly and kind person.”

“He made sure the class was always engaging and interactive. He answered student questions, listened to ideas and helped to show us various perspectives,” wrote another student about a nominee. “His class was intellectually stimulating, as I found myself thinking about the things discussed in random contexts. Everyone can tell that he is a professor who cares about his students and their education.”

Several programs within the Office of Academic Affairs and the Division of Student Affairs sponsor the PIE Award: Advising, Career and Exploratory Studies; the Dean of Students Office; the Ellbogen Center for Teaching and Learning; the LeaRN Program; and Residence Life and Dining Services.

Each PIE Award recipient will receive a pie from Residence Life and Dining Services, and five-time recipients each will receive a personalized pie plate. All recipients will be recognized at a reception from 4-5 p.m. Thursday, April 25, in the Wyoming Union Yellowstone Ballroom. The reception is open to faculty, staff and students.

PIE Award recipients, listed by their programs, departments, schools or colleges, are:

-- Navamoney Arulsamy, Department of Chemistry.

-- Dan Auerbach, Department of Criminal Justice and Sociology.

-- Rebekah Bennick, Department of Accounting and Finance.

-- Aysenur Bicer, Department of Physics and Astronomy.

-- Andrew Brasile, Department of Mathematics and Statistics.

-- Ashley Burchett, Department of English.

-- Kayla Burd, Department of Psychology.

-- Nathan Clements, Department of Mathematics and Statistics.

-- Timothy Collier, Department of Ecosystem Science and Management.

-- Bree Doering, Department of Anthropology.

-- Tyler Fall, Department of Philosophy and Religious Studies and Honors College.

-- Susanna Goodin, Department of Philosophy and Religious Studies (five-time).

-- Janice Grover-Roosa, UW Libraries Education and Research Services.

-- Esther Hartsky, Division of Communication Disorders.

-- Harvey Hix, Department of Philosophy and Religious Studies.

-- Lori Howe, Honors College.

-- Shelby Hutson, LeaRN Program (five-time).

-- O’Neil Jones, Department of Music.

-- Maureen King, School of Teacher Education.

-- Christina Knox, Department of Mathematics and Statistics.

-- Jennifer Kreiser, Department of Accounting and Finance.

-- Hosanna Krienke Swanner, Honors College.

-- Mark Lyford, Department of Botany.

-- Graham Marema, Department of English.

-- Dan McCoy, Haub School of Environment and Natural Resources.

-- Felix Naschold, Department of Economics.

-- Jonathan Prather, Life Sciences Program.

-- David Riedel, Department of English.

-- David Riedl, LeaRN Program.

-- Joe Russo, School of Teacher Education.

-- Joe Schroer, School of Teacher Education.

-- Brian Sebade, Department of Ecosystem Science and Management.

-- Mitzi Stewart, Department of Communication and Journalism.

-- Ogechi Ukazu, Department of Music.

-- Ryan Williamson, School of Politics, Public Affairs and International Studies.

-- Hannah Young, Division of Communication Disorders.

These are UW’s 15th annual PIE awards. A list of all recipients from previous years may be found at www.uwyo.edu/learn/fac_resources_recognition/pie/index.html.