Graduate Teaching Assistants Honored By Seven Society

April 25, 2002-- Twelve graduate teaching assistants from throughout the University of Virginia were honored April 24 in the Rotunda at the sixth annual Seven Society Awards banquet. All were finalists for the Seven Society Graduate Fellowship for Superb Teaching, a $7,000 award initiated by the philanthropic society to recognize the highest ideals of teaching at the University: dedication to students, substantial knowledge of the subject matter and skill in conveying passion for that knowledge.

Unlike other teaching awards based on departmental or faculty recommendations, nominations for the Seven Society Fellowship are made solely by former students. More than 100 undergraduates made nominations, writing lengthy letters of support. Four undergraduate students and four faculty members served on the selection committee.

• Jonathan Stoltz, department of philosophy, was named winner of the 2002 Seven Society Graduate Fellowship for Superb Teaching.

Two other graduate assistants won $5,000 fellowships for superior teaching:

• Melin Huang, department of physics, won the Frank Finger Graduate Fellowship. The fellowship is funded by a gift of J. Huston McCollough II in honor of Frank Finger, Alumni Professor of Psychology Emeritus, and is awarded each year to a teaching assistant in Arts & Sciences in recognition of stimulating and organized classroom teaching.

• Daniel Kent, department of religious studies, won the Class of 1985 Graduate Fellowship for Creative Teaching, awarded this year for the first time. Funded through the Alumni Association, it rewards an unusually creative teaching assistant from anywhere in the University.

Other award finalists received a $1,000 honorarium, funded through the deans’ offices in Arts & Sciences and in Engineering. They included:

John Christopher Chappell, biomedical engineering

Gail Dempsey, chemical engineering

Peter Frinchaboy, astronomy

Margaret Gardiner, English

Justin Gifford, English

Jason Goldsmith, English

Jessica Sautner Howell, economics

Matthew J. Marr, Spanish

Meritxell Martin-i-Pardo, religious studies

Contact: Dorothe Bach, (434) 982-2815

FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: Contact the Office of University Relations at (434) 924-7116. Television reporters should contact the TV News Office at (434) 924-7550.

SOURCE: U.Va. News Services

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Last Modified: Thursday, 25-Apr-2002 14:17:08 EDT
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