The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences gratefully acknowledges the following individuals for their excellence in teaching and advising in 2005. Their contributions are vital to maintaining LAS as a great college.
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Academic Advising Award
David Skadden, Academic Advisor, Psychology -
Humanities Award for Excellence in Teaching
Mark S. Micale, Associate Professor, History
E. K. Tan, Teaching Assistant, Comparative and World Literatures Lynn M. Martin Award for Distinguished Women Teachers
Ellen Fireman, Lecturer, Statistics
Mandy L. Wescott, Teaching Assistant, EnglishAward for Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching by Graduate Teaching Assistants
Emma Betz, Teaching Assistant, Germanic Languages and Literatures
Grace E. Cho, Teaching Assistant, Psychology
Micah James, Teaching Assistant, Mathematics
Goran Skosples, Teaching Assistant, EconomicsAward for Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching by Instructional Staff
Sandra Goss Lucas, Adjunct Assistant Professor, PsychologyDean's Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching
John P. D'Angelo, Professor, Mathematics
David Tewksbury, Associate Professor, Speech CommunicationDean's Quadrangle Award
Lynn M. Martin
David Skadden, Department of Psychology
Many students report that they consider David Skadden to be a personal friend as well as an advisor. He acts as a collaborator in the student's pursuit of academic achievement and involvement in the university community. He exposes students to research courses, volunteer work, and registered student organizations that would allow them to richly pursue their majors. His door is literally always open as he eagerly assists around 500 students through their undergraduate careers. After meeting with Mr. Skadden they leave feeling relieved and more confident about their own abilities and their academic and personal choices. In the words of former advisees: "I owe thanks to David for his endless time and guidance, for without him I may still be searching for the right first step to take." "He is always one to ask how you are doing and how classes are going. As a student this really does a lot to 'shrink' a big school like the University of Illinois, and makes you feel less anonymous amid the huge student body."
Mark S. Micale, Department of History
Professor Mark Micale inspires students through his incredible knowledge of material, his fantastic ability to articulate major points, and his enthusiasm for material and class. Students from his large lecture course praise his impeccable lecture style and ability to reach an entire lecture hall. Professor Micale has revitalized the second half of the Western Civilization survey large lecture course HIST 142/143. He was the first in History to custom-publish a reader for a survey course, The Western Experience 1750 to the Present: A Reader. To broaden the impact of his lectures he has prepared hundreds of slides, and uses period music and radio broadcasts in each class to underscore concepts from the lecture. A former student compared Professor Micale's lectures to reading a book that you can't put down. Professor Micale has also inspired many students who plan to be teachers themselves. One student writes: "Professor Micale has provided me an excellent example of what an ideal educator at any level of instruction should be."
E. K. Tan, Program in Comparative and World Literatures
E. K. Tan's greatest satisfaction comes from the opportunity to share with his students his energy and genuine enthusiasm about literature, and also to learn from and with them the different ways of addressing a text, an issue, or a topic. While the rigors of class are at times daunting, Mr. Tan's vitality and love of teaching, partnered with his unique teaching methods, in-depth knowledge of the material, and ability to convey information to his students, make his classes enjoyable for all. His passion for teaching is undeniable, and he displays his unwavering commitment through his selfless donation of time and energy to his students' success. A former student writes: "E. K. provided me with the greatest gifts by giving me the desire to achieve more, the knowledge that I could accomplish my goals when life looked grim, and the self-esteem and confidence I needed to succeed at this University."
Ellen Fireman, Department of Statistics
Ellen Fireman is the Coordinator of STAT 100, a large service course with an enrollment of more than 2,000 students per year. Dr. Fireman has amassed a truly remarkable teaching record over the past several years. Most impressive is that she has done so while teaching large lectures, sometimes exceeding 300 students, of STAT 100, a course taken almost exclusively by students who are not statistics majors but are trying to fill quantitative requirements. Ellen Fireman has been a tremendous asset to LAS for her talent in making large lectures seem small and personal, while providing students with tools to guide them in this age when data and information are literally at our fingertips. A former student writes: "Her lecture notes were wonderfully comprehensive and included conceptual examples relating to real life that piqued student interest." "She does not only want her students to pass her class; she wants them to take their knowledge to the next level, and be able to walk away from her class with knowledge that they can apply to their real lives."
Mandy L. Wescott, Department of English
Honest, open, and smart, Mandy Wescott is already the consummate teacher, seeing the pedagogical possibilities in every exchange, every personal interaction. Ms. Wescott is intellectually rigorous, finding intriguing points of inquiry and exploration in any and all topics. She organizes her classes carefully, with an eye to the requirements of the course and the needs of her students; she makes the classroom a welcoming, open environment. In the words of former students: "Many qualities come to my mind: her extensive knowledge of her subject; her genuine enthusiasm for teaching; her ability to relate to her students on an individual level and meet their individual needs; and her optimistic attitude." "She brings a much-needed touch of humanity and enthusiasm to the academic environment, and I wish there were more like her." Ms. Wescott has also served as a peer advisor for the past year and a half, and is responsible for training new teachers."
Emma Betz, Department of Germanic Languages and Literatures
Through her passion for the German language, Emma Betz inspires her students to continue their German education. Two former students developed a concert of German Lieder from an assignment in Ms. Betz's course, which has now been performed by the Music Department for the past three years. Other students have studied abroad in Germany or Austria due to such a positive experience in their first German class taught by Ms. Betz. Students remember her "obvious love of teaching and commitment to continually improving instruction." "Her creative ideas and activities really taught me more...than any textbook could have... She was an amazing teacher..." "Emma literally leapt with enthusiasm for teaching and sharing of knowledge." Ms. Betz is also the co-founder and organizer of the extraordinarily successful Grad Student German Film Series."
Grace E. Cho, Department of Psychology
Grace Cho is a TA for Cognitive Development, Child Psychology, and Personality and Social Development. Ms. Cho has been the primary instructor four times, and has been recognized for her excellent teaching on all four occasions. Students appreciate Grace Cho's thorough knowledge of, and infectious enthusiasm for, developmental psychology. Ms. Cho strives to communicate to students that Psychology is not a lifeless collection of facts, but a thriving, dynamic area of research that is alive with puzzles, challenges, and new areas of inquiry. Students praise Ms. Cho's thorough knowledge of the subject and ability to present relevant information in an easy-to-understand way. A former student writes: "Grace integrated her personal research and experiences into the class, making it a valuable experience, enabling me to learn much more from the class than I would have learned from only reading the course textbook."
Micah James, Department of Mathematics
Micah James has consistently maintained a reputation as an effective and caring instructor of high quality. Mr. James has made a sustained effort to incorporate new technological advances into his courses as appropriate, and on several occasions has been entrusted by the Department of Mathematics with the responsibility to administer trials of proposed course management software in his sections. He instituted a late-night "online office hour" via AOL instant messenger for MATH 230. Mr. James has appeared six times on the Incomplete List of Instructors Ranked as Excellent. The Mathematics Department awarded Micah James its internal award for excellence in teaching in 2003. A former student writes: "Micah's incredibly charming character, facilitated through his extreme will to do anything it took to help students learn, shaped a learning atmosphere unlike anything else that I have ever experienced."
Goran Skosples, Department of Economics
Goran Skosples's enjoyment of teaching motivates students to perform at their highest potential. He works tirelessly with students, both individually and in class, until they are both sure of the students' level of comprehension. Mr. Skosples successfully challenges each student, all the while encouraging his or her efforts along the way. His enjoyment of teaching comes across to his students: "I was amazed at how clearly I was able to understand concepts that seemed so abstract." "Goran has also been blessed with a natural ability to explain." "Motivated me to do my best work." "What really struck me about Goran's teaching method was that for every concept he taught us, he had a real-life application that brought a hard concept to the students' level." "Of all the TAs I've had on campus, he's been the most knowledgeable and the most helpful."
Sandra Goss Lucas, Department of Psychology
Sandra Goss Lucas coordinates Psychology's large course in Introductory Psychology, PSYC 100, which averages 2,000 students in the fall and 1,200 in the spring. Dr. Lucas teaches her own section of the course every fall, usually a section specifically for James Scholars freshmen. She also selects, trains, supervises, and provides constant support for about 14-20 graduate TAs involved in PSYC 100. She has developed a multi-day orientation course for her PSYC 100 TAs, which has been so successful that all Psychology TAs are required to attend. Students appreciate her approachability, friendliness, and sincerity: "PSYC 100 came alive with Sandy's instruction." "She is an expert in her field, and delivered course content in an understandable, approachable, interesting, and challenging way. She engaged us daily with activities, demonstrations, and assignments." Dr. Lucas has also very recently (2005) published a book co-authored with her former colleague Doug Bernstein titled Teaching Psychology: A Step By Step Guide."
John P. D'Angelo, Department of Mathematics
Professor John D'Angelo's contributions span the entire spectrum of mathematics education. All of his contributions are of the highest caliber, bearing his recognizable mix of passion, precision, and enthusiasm. Professor D'Angelo has voluntarily taught gifted children ages 5-10 at the Leal School in Urbana, and he is currently teaching 26 second-grade students about once every three weeks for 45 minutes. He created the Research Experience for Graduate Students that has stimulated various experiments for involving students in research. He has served on the ad hoc committee that created the Math honors program. Professor D'Angelo has co-authored a textbook on transition into mathematics, written a Carus monograph titled Inequalities from Complex Analysis, and a text/reference book for advanced graduate students and researchers in the theory of Several Complex Variables. Former students write: "Professor D'Angelo is a skilled, caring, and challenging teacher." "Professor D'Angelo's teaching and counseling have influenced me to a great extent. He is a definite contributor to all my successes as a teaching assistant, in undergraduate research, and in the future." "Professor D'Angelo is very energetic and devoted at conveying the beauty of mathematics to each of his students"
David Tewksbury, Department of Speech Communication
Professor David Tewksbury fills his classroom with enthusiasm and energy. Rigorous yet full of joy, Professor Tewksbury tackles deeply important social issues, yet maintains a sense of humor. His classrooms are ideal pedagogical spaces where laughter and learning take place simultaneously, all the while driven by a commitment to first-rate scholarship. Professor Tewksbury's office hours are famous for offering a welcome exploration of not only academic but also life questions. Students praise the energy Professor Tewksbury brings to his courses: "David Tewksbury delivers the course material daily as if it were the first day of the semester, full of excitement and energy." "Professor Tewksbury serves as an invaluable asset to the students. In the classroom an enjoyable atmosphere is formed from his ability to enjoy the material and make us enjoy it as well. Part of this enjoyment is that Professor Tewksbury is physically involved in delivering the material. On any given day, you can expect to see wide gestures, a quick dance step, and an animated disposition that smoothly draws the students in and delivers the lesson for that class period."
Lynn M. Martin
Having represented the 16 th District of Illinois in the U.S. House of Representatives for 10 years and serving as the 21 st Secretary of Labor under President George H.W. Bush, Lynn Martin today is involved in a number of activities focused on the future of the U.S. Economy, the advancement of women in business and education, and the American workforce. She currently is an Advisor to Deloitte & Touche and chairs the company's Council on the Advancement of Women; serves on the corporate boards of the Dreyfus Funds, Procter & Gamble Co., Ryder Systems, Inc., SBC, Inc., and Constellation Energy Group; and has been recognized for her efforts by many prestigious institutions including the National Conference of Christians and Jews, the National Women's Economic Alliance, the March of Dimes, and the Anti-Defamation League, among many others. A native of Chicago, Lynn Martin graduated Phi Beta Kappa from the University of Illinois and is married to the Honorable Harry Leinenweber, U.S. District Judge for the Northern District of Illinois.
