College Distinguished Teaching Award Current and Past Award Winners

Award: $1000

Eligibility: All faculty

College Distinguished Teaching Awards are $1,000 awards in recognition of excellence in teaching. Fifteen awards are available each year and the distribution rotates among the Colleges. Awardees are recognized at The Laurelsannual award reception.

For this year's distribution, see:

Awards home

Nomination Instructions

Each College Dean's office should recommended individuals for the College Distinguished Teaching Awards based upon established College procedures, which should include input from a variety of individuals. The recommendation letter should be uploaded as a PDF when completing the nomination form.

Nomination Form

About the Award

In 1976, the Nebraska Legislature authorized the presentation of $1,000 stipends to selected faculty members to recognize outstanding teaching. Up to 15 awards are presented each year based on recommendations from the colleges, each of which have differing criteria for selection.

Past Awardees

Award Schedule

The final award rotates annually between the Colleges of Architecture, Journalism and Mass Communication, and Law.

CDTA Annual Distribution

  • 1 award: Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources
  • 1 award: Business
  • 1 award: Fine and Performing Arts
  • 2 awards: Engineering
  • 3 awards: Education and Human Sciences
  • 6 awards: Arts and Sciences

CDTA Rotating Award

  • 2025-2026: Journalism and Mass Communications
  • 2026-2027: Architecture
  • 2027-2028: Law
  • 2028-2029: Journalism and Mass Communications
  • 2029-2030: Architecture
  • 2030-2031: Law
College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources
Year Recipient Department
2025 Andréia Bianchini Food Science and Technology
2024 Deepak Keshwani Biological Systems Engineering
2023 Sam Wortman Agronomy and Horticulture

More recipients

College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources - continued
Year Recipient Department
2022 Lisa Karr Animal Science
2021 Kathleen Brooks Agricultural Economics
2020 Douglas Golick Entomology
2019 Madhavan Soundararajan Biochemistry
2018 Fabio Lanhoso De Mattos Agricultural Economics
2017 Elizabeth Walter-Shea Natural Resources
2016 Erin Blankenship Statistics


College of Architecture
Year Recipient Department
2024 Rumiko Handa Architecture
2021 Sharon Kuska Architecture
2018 Lindsey Bahe Interior Design


College of Arts & Sciences
Year Recipient Department
2025 James Checco Chemistry
2024 Eve Brank Psychology
2024 Kevin Gonzales Mathematics
2024 Kristen Hoerl Communication Studies
2024 Laura Muñoz History and Ethnic Studies
2024 Gerald Steinacher History
2024 Regina Werum Sociology
2023 Joshua Brummer Mathematics
2023 James Brunton English
2023 Alba Hasan Modern Languages and Literatures
2023 Patrick Jones History and Ethnic Studies
2023 Jacquelyn Omelian Psychology
2023 Ingrid Robyn Modern Languages and Literature and Ethnic Studies

More recipients

College of Arts & Sciences - continued
Year Recipient Department
2022 Olha Tytarenko Modern Languages and Literatures
2022 Julia Frengs Modern Languages and Literatures
2022 Clayton Cressler Biological Sciences
2022 Huijing Du Mathematics
2022 Hope Wabuke English
2022 Pascha Sotolongo Stevenson English
2021 Katherine Castle Communication Studies
2021 Lynne Elkins Earth and Atmospheric Sciences
2021 Matthew Van Den Broeke Earth and Atmospheric Sciences
2021 Anna Hiatt Biological Sciences
2021 Nathan Wakefield Mathematics
2021 Emily Kazyak Sociology/Women's and Gender Studies
2020 Alexander Zupan Mathematics
2020 Heather Richards-Rissetto Anthropology
2020 Angela Palmer-Wackerly Communication Studies
2020 Alexandra Seceleanu Mathematics
2020 David Hage Chemistry
2020 Nganga Muchiri English
2019 Brandon Bosch Sociology and Political Science
2019 Kelsy Burke Sociology
2019 Lory Dance Sociology
2019 David Harwood Earth and Atmospheric Sciences
2019 Eric Malina Chemistry
2019 Rachael Shah English
2018 Carolyn Brown-Kramer Psychology
2018 Jennine Capo-Crucet English & Ethnic Studies
2018 Thomas Gannon English & Ethnic Studies
2018 Lisa Kort-Butler Sociology
2018 Yvonne Lai Mathematics
2018 Tyler White Political Science
2017 Elizabeth Enkin Modern Languages and Literatures
2017 Emily Hammerl Anthropology
2017 Alexander Sinitskii Chemistry
2017 Kelly Stage English
2017 Daniel Toundykov Mathematics
2017 Manda Williamson Psychology
2016 Chad Brassil Biological Sciences
2016 Jeannette Jones History & Ethnic Studies
2016 Jody Koenig Kellas Communication Studies
2016 Nora Peterson Modern Languages & Literatures
2016 Jordan Soliz Communication Studies
2016 Jeffrey Stevens Psychology


College of Business
Year Recipient Department
2025 Tammy Beck Management
2024 Erkut Sonmez Supply Chain Management & Analytics
2023 Thomas Dotzel Marketing

More recipients

College of Business - continued
Year Recipient Department
2022 Troy Smith Management
2021 James Downes Accountancy
2020 Dirk Black Accountancy
2019 Blake Runnalls Marketing
2018 Joel Owens Accountancy
2017 Troy Smith Management
2016 Jake Messersmith Management


College of Education and Human Sciences
Year Recipient Department
2025 Katelyn Coburn Child, Youth and Family Studies
2025 Susan Loveall Special Education and Communication Disorders
2025 Christine Kiewra Child, Youth and Family Studies
2024 Gilbert Parra Child, Youth & Family Studies
2024 Jiangang Xia Educational Administration
2024 Kristy Weissling Special Education and Communication Disorders
2023 Deryl Hatch-Tocaimaza Educational Administration
2023 Patty Kuo Child, Youth and Family Studies
2023 Mackenzie Savaiano Special Education and Communication Disorders

More recipients

*College of Education and Human Sciences - continued
Year Recipient Department
2022 Elaine Chan Teaching, Learning and Teacher Education
2022 Carrie Hanson-Bradley Child, Youth and Family Studies
2022 Hideo Suzuki Educational Psychology
2021 Lydiah Kiramba Teaching, Learning, and Teacher Education
2021 Rochelle Dalla Child, Youth and Family Studies
2021 Ajai Ammachathram Nutrition and Health Sciences
2020 Amanda Morales Teaching, Learning & Teacher Education
2020 Mackenzie Savaiano Special Education and Communication Disorders
2020 Kelley Buchheister Child, Youth, & Family Studies
2019 Matthew Fritz Educational Psychology
2019 Sue Kemp Special Education and Communication Disorders
2019 Shavonna Holman Educational Administration
2018 Lorraine Males Teaching, Learning, & Teacher Education
2018 Shannon Rowen Nutrition and Health Sciences
2018 Mary Beth Lehmanowsky Educational Administration
2017 Wayne Babchuk Educational Psychology
2017 Dipra Jha Nutrition and Health Sciences
2017 Linda Young Nutrition and Health Sciences
2016 Edward Daly Educational Psychology
2016 Elizabeth Lewis Teaching, Learning & Teacher Education
2016 Scott Napolitano Educational Psychology


College of Engineering
Year Recipient Department
2025 Mehrdad Negahban Mechanical and Materials Engineering
2025 Neal Lewis College of Engineering
2024 Seunghee Kim Civil & Environmental Engineering
2024 Jae Sung Park Mechanical & Materials Engineering
2023 Shudipto Dishari Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering
2023 Stuart Bernstein Architectural Engineering and Construction

More recipients

College of Engineering - continued
Year Recipient Department
2022 Moe Alahmad Architectural Engineering and Construction
2022 Stephanie Valentine School of Computing
2021 Khalid Sayood Electrical and Computer Engineering
2021 Jena Asgarpoor College of Engineering
2020 Hunter Flodman Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering
2020 Jiong Hu Civil and Environmental Engineering
2019 Sangjin Ryu Mechanical and Materials Engineering
2019 Angie Pannier Biological Systems Engineering
2018 Ece Erdogmus Architectural Engineering & Construction
2018 Carl Nelson Mechanical and Materials Engineering
2018 Yong-Rak Kim Civil Engineering
2017 Yusong Li Civil Engineering
2017 Joseph Turner Mechanical and Materials Engineering
2016 Sohrab Asgarpoor Electrical and Computer Engineering
2016 Deepak Keshwani Biological Systems Engineering


Hixson-Lied College of Fine and Performing Arts
Year Recipient Department
2025 Sophie Isaak Art, Art History and Design
2024 Rafael Untalan Theatre & Film
2023 Danni Gilbert Music

More recipients

Hixson-Lied College of Fine and Performing Arts - continued
Year Recipient Department
2022 Katie Anania Art, Art History and Design
2020 Hye-Won Hwang Music
2019 Colleen Syron Art, Art History and Design
2016 Stanley Kleppinger Music


College of Journalism and Mass Communications
Year Recipient Department
2023 Kaci Richter Broadcasting
2020 Sue Bullard News-Editorial
2013 Stacy James Advertising & Public Relations


College of Law
Year Recipient Department
2022 Adam Thimmesch Law
2019 John Lenich Law
2016 William H. Lyons Law