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2018-2019 Award for Excellence in Teaching

Jon Munn, MMJC Director, Marketing & Communications
May 15 2019

This year, the Faculty of Arts and Social Science (FASS) Teaching and Learning Committee had a truly outstanding pool of candidates for the 2018-2019 Award for Excellence in Teaching.

With that, Huron is pleased to announce the committee selected two winners for the 2018-2019 Awarded for Excellence in Teaching to Dr. Irene Cheung of the Psychology Department and Dr. Bill Irwin of the Management and Organizational Studies program.

This award has been given for excellence in undergraduate teaching in the Faculty of Arts and Social Science, demonstrated over a number of years. Factors considered in selecting a recipient are: classroom instruction; academic counselling, mentoring and advising of students; course design; curriculum development; preparation of educational materials; and innovative teaching methods.

Dr. Geoff Read, VP, Academic and Dean, FASS, says this year’s recipients have demonstrated excellence in all of these areas.

Both winners demonstrate a high degree of commitment to their students and a focus on encouraging active student learning and engagement; truly, they are both fully deserving of this award.

With regard to Dr. Cheung’s candidacy, the committee was especially impressed with the evidence of the commendable caliber of her classroom instruction. It was noted by the committee that Cheung receives outstanding teaching evaluations while maintaining a high degree of rigour in her classes: a sure sign of the esteem with which she is held by her students. Further, Dr. Cheung is highly innovative in her pedagogy, and has successfully developed new seminar approaches and a Tri-Mentorship program in the department. She is likewise a community leader in undergraduate research learning.

The committee likewise noted Dr. Irwin’s particularly exemplary record in two fields: curriculum development and the counselling, mentoring and advising of students. Dr. Irwin has played a foundational role in the development of the Governance, Leadership, and Ethics program; he has helped Management and Organizational Studies to chart new strategic directions and build experiential learning opportunities; and he devotes many hours to providing students guidance outside the classroom as well as to the supervision of graduate and undergraduate projects and theses.

Both Drs. Irwin and Cheung will be recognized publicly at the 2019 FASS Convocation on June 17. Congratulations on this accomplishment to both Drs. Cheung and Irwin.