Vandermeade Receives UW Ellbogen Meritorious Classroom Teaching Award

Samantha Vandermeade, an assistant professor in the Department of American Cultural Studies at the University of Wyoming, is known by her students for her engaging classes and compassionate approach to teaching.

 

Those accolades and others have resulted in Vandermeade being named one of 10 recipients of the 2026 John P. Ellbogen Meritorious Classroom Teaching Award at UW. The award was established in 1977 by businessman John P. “Jack” Ellbogen to “foster, encourage and reward excellence in classroom teaching at UW.”

 

Throughout the past two years, Vandermeade has taught “Wyoming, Race and the Archive”; “Gender, Race, Sexuality and Social Systems”; “Social Justice in the 21st Century”; “Introduction to American Studies”; “Coal Stories: Wyoming and Appalachia”; and “Institutional Violence.”

 

One student, who describes Vandermeade as “an amazing teacher,” wrote: “The content we cover and discuss is thought-provoking and profound. Our assignments include meaningful research that helps us effectively utilize multiple types of media. Professor Vandermeade engaged with us through games in class and presentations that demonstrated our knowledge.”

 

UW English graduate student Liz Youngman describes Vandermeade as “remarkable.”

 

Though Youngman had Vandermeade as an instructor during her undergraduate years, Vandermeade serves on her thesis committee.

 

“Dr. Vandermeade created a welcoming and safe environment that always made me feel comfortable to answer questions and engage in discussion,” Youngman wrote. “Whether I was at the beginning or end of my college career, Dr. Vandermeade always made me feel seen as a student. I know I would not have ended up majoring in gender and women’s studies if it wasn’t for having her as an instructor.”

 

“The work put into this course and the dedication to ensuring students enjoy the experience of working with and studying archive materials is amazing,” another undergraduate student wrote. “This professor has been deeply kind and understanding and provides a classroom environment with great direction and confidence.”

 

Tracey Owens Patton, a UW English professor, describes Vandermeade as “a highly competent professor who is skillful in the classroom.”

 

Vandermeade has been a professor at UW since 2020, has published a variety of articles and has served on several campus committees.

 

She earned her Ph.D. from Arizona State University, a master’s degree from North Carolina State University and a bachelor’s degree from Appalachian State University.