Deadline: March 14, 2025
About the Award
The University of Prince Edward Island’s Hessian Merit Awards for Excellence in Teaching honour faculty members who are recognized as possessing outstanding competence in teaching. These awards publicly acknowledge individuals whose work has contributed to instructional excellence at UPEI. nominees for these awards are expected to:
- exhibit a comprehensive knowledge of the subject
- be habitually well prepared for teaching sessions
- have energy and enthusiasm for the subject and the capacity to arouse students’ interest in it
- encourage student participation in the teaching and learning process
- set a high standard and motivate students to attain that standard
- communicate effectively at levels appropriate to students’ capacity
- emphasize understanding of the subject over mere memorization (as appropriate) in evaluating student performance
- be accessible to students outside the classroom, and
- demonstrate excellence in teaching, including the use of innovative teaching techniques
Eligibility
- Any member of the Faculty Association is eligible for nomination except current members of the Faculty Association Executive Committee
- Winners within the past five years are not eligible.
Nomination Process
Each nomination must be made collaboratively by three or more sponsors—students, full-time or sessional faculty or staff, and/or alumni—on the nomination form [Word document]. Each sponsor identified on the nomination form must submit a separate letter of support that addresses the criteria for the award. The nomination form and supporting documentation should be submitted together by the nominee.
Self-Nomination is permitted and encouraged.
All nominations should be sent ELECTRONICALLY to: [email protected]. Please use the subject line: Nomination – Hessian Merit Award
Hessian Nomination Form [Word Document]
Faculty members are responsible for submitting all application materials – the nomination forms and sponsor letters, an electronic teaching dossier emphasizing their contributions to the enhancement of teaching, and appendices. The main body of the document should be no more than twenty (20) pages and any appendices should total no more than twenty (20) additional pages. The dossier may include five (5) hyperlinks to multimedia content to the extent these links may provide meaningful content to your dossier. All materials should be submitted as PDFs. All application materials should be emailed to the FA Office at [email protected] by the deadline.
Application Documentation
Nomination form including sponsor letters
Teaching Dossier, up to 20 pages, including:
- a statement of teaching philosophy
- explanations of teaching methods
Appendices, up to 20 pages, including:
- a letter from a current or past student, if not a sponsor and included with the nomination form
- a letter from the candidate’s department chair or dean (or the appropriate designate), if not a sponsor and included with the nomination form
Optional Appendices
- where possible, evidence that teaching methods successfully enhance student learning
- descriptions of teaching innovations
- evidence of sharing pedagogical methodology with colleagues/continuing education in teaching
- up to three course outlines from your most recent courses
- any additional material that would support the your case
Past Recipients
| Academic Year | Name of Recipient | Academic Unit |
|---|---|---|
| 2023-2024 | ||
| 2022-2023 | Magdalena von Eccher Libby Osgood Carolyn Thorne | Music Engineering Education |
| 2021-2022 | Michael MacLellan Heather Barnick Dale Sorensen Darlene Nuqingaq | Applied Human Sciences Sociology and Anthropology Music Education |
| 2020-2021 | Derek Lawther | Physics |
| 2019-2020 | Susan Graham Richard Raiswell | Business History & Classics |
| 2018-2019 | David Hickey Jennifer Taylor Charlene VanLeeuwen (Sessional Award) | Arts Applied Human Sciences Science |
| 2017-2018 | Henrik Stryhn Laurie Brinklow (Sessional Award) | Health Management, AVC Island Studies |
| 2016-2017 | Patrice Drake Brenton Dickieson (Sessional Award) Justin Gulati (Sessional Award) | Nursing Religious Studies & Inquiry Studies Mathematical & Computational Sciences |
| 2015-2016 | Cora Gilroy James Moran Bonnie Stewart (Sessional Award) Christopher Vessey (Sessional Award) | Pathology and Microbiology, AVC History Education Mathematical & Computational Sciences |
| 2014-2015 | H. Carolyn Peach Brown Dany MacDonald Marina Silva-Opps Richard Covey (Sessional Award) | Environmental Studies Applied Human Sciences Biology Music |