The CUPE 3908-1 Award for Excellence in Teaching is presented to a member of the part-time faculty at Trent University, represented by CUPE Local 3908 - Unit 1. The award recognizes the positive impact contract instructors have on students and their learning. Eligible candidates include Course Instructors, Clinical Instructors, Academic Skills Instructors, ESL Instructors, Tutorial and Workshop Leaders, Language Assistants, and Tutors. This award can only be received once; previous recipients are ineligible for nomination.
How to nominate:
» CUPE 3908-1 Award for Excellence in Teaching nomination form
Complete the "Nominator Information" and the "Candidate Information" sections on the Nomination Form, open December 18, 2024 - January 29, 2025 at 4:00pm. Tell the story! Complete the "Candidate Qualifications" section by providing specific examples of how/why your candidate should be considered for the Award.
Make sure to review our list of previous award winners as individuals are only eligible to win the award once.
How is the award determined?
The recipient of this award is determined by the CUPE Teaching Award Committee based solely on the information that nominators like you provide. The strongest nominations provide specific details about a candidate's interaction with students, providing clear examples that illustrate that highlight the skills, abilities, and attributes of the candidate that demonstrate a strong, positive impact on students and their learning.
For helpful information on writing strong nominations, including exemplars, please see the Centre for Teaching and Learning's How to Write a Strong Nomination for a Teaching Award page.
An individual may be nominated for more than one award in an academic year. However, during any given year, recipients may be selected to win only one award. An individual may receive each award only once during his or her career.
The award has a monetary value of $750 and is accompanied by a framed certificate. The award is presented at the Celebration of Excellence in the spring.
Previous Recipients
2023-2024 Sarah Ibaid (Child and Youth Studies)
2022-2023 Dr. Mary-Claire Buell (Indigenous Environmental Studies and Sciences)
2021-2022 Catherine Davis (Chanie Wenjack School for Indigenous Studies)
2020-2021 Mike Perry (School for the Study of Canada)
2019-2020 Derya Tarhan (International Development Studies)
2018-2019 Sam Grey (International Development Studies)
2017-2018 Troy Bordun (Sociology)
2016-2017 Carla Ionescu (Ancient Greek and Roman Studies)
2015-2016 Shirley Ida Williams nee Pheasant (Indigenous Studies)
2014-2015 Robyne Hanley-Dafoe (Psychology)
2013-2014 John Dale Purcell (Anthropology)
2012-2013 Martin Boyne (Modern Languages & Literatures)
2011-2012 Jose Miguel Garcia Ramierz (Modern Languages & Literatures)
2010-2011 Matthew Thompson (Chemistry)
2009-2010 Leigh Symonds (Anthropology)
2008-2009 Shaoling Wang (Modern Languages & Literatures)
2007-2008 Adam Stibbards (Psychology)
2006-2007 Brent Wood (English Literature)
2005-2006 Melanie Buddle (Department of History)
2004-2005 Fred Pulfer (School of Education & Professional Learning)
2003-2004 Graham Murphy (Cultural Studies & English)
2002-2003 Wendy Kelly (Psychology)
2001-2002 Jim Cosgrave (Sociology)
2000-2001 Jill Smith (Women's Studies)