FIMS Award for Excellence in Teaching

The FIMS Award for Excellence in Teaching recognizes teaching as a central practice in the work of FIMS faculty. The award acknowledges a variety of contributions to teaching that support the intellectual development and well-being of students at all levels. There are two award categories: one for full-time faculty and one for part-time faculty.

Nominations for the 2024-25 FIMS Teaching Awards of Excellence are due by November 15, 2024.

A faculty member may be nominated by:

  • themselves
  • a staff or faculty colleague
  • a student (undergraduate or graduate)

>> Full details about eligibility, process, and nomination requirements are available in the FIMS Award for Excellence in Teaching Guidelines document (pdf).

Student nominations

Has a professor made a positive impression on you? Did they use an innovative approach or delivery in a course? Did they model and promote academic freedom in the classroom, or integrate EDIDIA principles in a particularly effective way? Did their presentation style grab your attention and keep you engaged throughout the course? Undergraduate and graduate FIMS students can nominate a faculty member for the Award for Excellence in Teaching.

* Make sure your intended nominee is willing to accept the nomination, as they will need to prepare a nomination packet (full details available in the FIMS Award for Excellence in Teaching Guidelines). The nominating student will be required to submit a (1 page max) letter of nomination.

Eligibility critera

Full-time: no full-time faculty member may be nominated within three years of receiving the FIMS Award for Excellence in Teaching (see previous winners below).

Part-time: part-time faculty must have taught at least 1.0 courses within the previous fiscal year (May 1 - April 30). No part-time faculty member may be nominated within one year of receiving the FIMS Award for Excellence in Teaching (see previous winners below).

Who decides who wins?

Nominations will be adjudicated by the FIMS Executive Committee, made up of elected full-time faculty members and students, the dean, associate deans, and graduate program chairs. It's possible more than one recipient will be selected.

FIMS Award for Excellence in Teaching

2022 Recipients

Amanda Grzyb, Professor
Full-Time

Anabel Quan-Haase, Professor
Full-Time

Paulette Rothbauer, Associate Professor
Full-Time

Mark Kearney, Lecturer
Part-Time

Andie Shabbar, Assistant Professor
Part-Time

2021 Recipients

Sandy Smeltzer, Associate Professor
Full-Time

Christopher Clark, Lecturer
Part-Time

Angela Pollak, Assistant Professor
Part-Time

2020 Recipients

Erin Isings, Lecturer
Full-Time

Mark Kearney, Lecturer
Part-Time

2019 Recipients

Melissa Adler, Assistant Professor
Full-Time

Heather Hill, Associate Professor
Full-Time

Romayne Smith-Fullerton, Associate Professor
Full-Time

Selma Purac, Lecturer
Part-Time

Warren Steele, Assistant Professor
Part-Time

2018 Recipients

Jacquelyn Burkell, Associate Professor
Full-Time

Mark Rayner, Lecturer
Full-Time

Mark Kearney, Lecturer
Part-Time

2017 Recipients

Tim Blackmore, Professor
Full-Time

Nick Dyer-Witheford, Associate Professor
Full-Time

Andie Shabar, Lecturer
Part-Time

Tiara Sukhan, Lecturer
Part-Time

2016 Recipients

Meredith Levine, Lecturer
Full-Time

Victoria L. Rubin, Associate Professor
Full-Time

Robert Craig, Lecturer
Part-Time

Selma Purac, Lecturer
Part-Time

Warren Steele, Assistant Professor
Part-Time

Honour Roll (Nominees)
Paul Benedetti, Tim blackmore, Jacquie Burkell, Norma Coates, Jeremy Copeland, Nick Dyer-Witheford, Amanda Grzyb, Lynne McKechnie, Anabel Quan-Haase, Mark Rayner, John Reed, Paulette Rothbauer, Kamran Sedig, Sharon Sliwinski, Sandy Smeltzer, Nadine Wathen.

2015 Recipients

Jeremy Copeland, Lecturer
Full-Time

Kane Faucher, Assistant Professor
Part-Time

Mark Kearney, Lecturer
Part-Time

Lu Xiao, Associate Professor
Full-Time

2014 Recipients

Norma Coates, Associate Professor
Full-Time

Mark Rayner, Lecturer
Full-Time

Paulette Rothbauer, Associate Professor
Full-Time

Selma Purac, Lecturer
Part-Time

Warren Steele, Assistant Professor
Part-Time

Honour Roll (Nominees)
Carolyn Bart-Riedstra, Paul Benedetti, Andrea Benoit, Tim Blackmore, Jacquelyn Burkell, Grant Campbell, Edward Comor, Jeremy Copeland, Robert Craig, Kane Faucher, Amanda Grzyb, Alison Hearn, Mark Kearney, Meredith Levine, Lynne McKechnie, John Reed, Lutzen Riedstra, Victoria Rubin, Kamran Sedig, Sharon Sliwinski, Sandra Smeltzer.

2013 Recipients

Kane Faucher, Assistant Professor
Part-Time

Mark Kearney, Lecturer
Part-Time

Susan Knabe, Associate Professor
Full-Time

Anabel Quan-Haase, Associate Professor
Full-Time

Honour Roll (Nominees)
Carolyn Bart-Riedstra, Paul Benedetti, Tim Blackmore, Mary Bunch, Jacquelyn Burkell, Grant Campbell, Norma Coates, Edward Comor, Matthew Giffis, Amanda Grzyb, Roma Harris, Alison Hearn, Bill Irwin, Meredith Levine, Jennifer Martin, Lynne McKechnie, Selma Purac, Ajit Pyati, John Reed, Lutzen Riedstra, Paulette Rothbauer, Victoria Rubin, Kamran Sedig, Sharon Sliwinski, Sandy Smeltzer, Romayne Smith-Fullerton, Warren Steele, Nadine Wathen.

2012 Recipients

Paul Benedetti, Lecturer
Full-Time

Michael Daubs, Assistant Professor
Part-Time

Ajit Pyati, Associate Professor
Full-Time

2011 Recipients

Amanda Grzyb, Associate Professor
Full Time

Bill Irwin, Assistant Professor
Part-Time

Nadine Wathen, Associate Professor
Full-Time

2010 Recipients

Selma Purac, Lecturer
Part-Time

John Reed, Lecturer
Full-Time

Sharon Sliwinski, Associate Professor
Full-Time

2009 Recipients

Alison Hearn, Associate Professor
Full-Time

Lynne McKechnie, Professor
Full-Time

Warren Steele, Assistant Professor
Part-Time

2008 Recipients

Paul Benedetti, Lecturer
Full-Time

Martha Joyce, Lecturer
Part-Time

Gord Nickerson, Lecturer
Part-Time

2007 Recipients

Cliff Lonsdale, Lecturer
Full-Time

Jennifer Noon, Lecturer
Full-Time

Mark Rayner, Lecturer
Part-Time

Sandra Smeltzer, Associate Professor
Full-Time

2006 Recipients

Tim Blackmore, Professor
Full-Time

Grant Campbell, Associate Professor
Full-Time

Amanda Grzyb, Associate Professor
Part-Time

Robin Keirstead, Lecturer
Part-Time

Dean's Award for Lifetime Excellence in Teaching

The inaugural Dean's Award for Lifetime Excellence in Teaching, in recognition of a distinguished teaching career in the Faculty of Information & Media Studies, was awarded in 2018.

2018 Recipients

Paul Bendetti, Lecturer