Call for Applications

The Outstanding Graduate Student Teaching Award recognizes current graduate students who have demonstrated strong pedagogical skills and successfully taught at least two complete classes as the instructor of record in the last 3 years at UNLV. The award is only for current graduate students who teach at UNLV. The UNLV Outstanding Graduate Student Teaching Award nominations are due to the Graduate College by December 1st 2024. Students are required to submit their application via their Grad Rebel Gateway portal. The Graduate College will accept one nominee from each College. The Dean/Associate Dean of each respective College/School will provide signature and approve the one nominee on the form. Students see your college for their application deadline. Only complete applications submitted via the Graduate Rebel Gateway portal will be considered. All current masters and doctoral students are eligible for consideration, subject to the guidelines provided. The 1st place winner will be given a $2,500 award, the 2nd place winner will be given a $2,000 award, and the 3rd place winner will get a $1,500 award.

Outstanding Graduate Student Teaching Award Winners

2023-2024 Winners

1st Place - Skylar Polek (College of Engineering)
2nd Place - Maria Hermosillo (College of Liberal Arts)
3rd Place - Anna Colquitt (College of Education)

2022-2023 Winners

1st Place - Nanette Hilton (College of Liberal Arts)
2nd Place - Md Hasan (College of Sciences)

2021-2022 Winners

1st Place - Torisha Khonach (College of Liberal Arts)
2nd Place - Joshua Donnelly (College of Urban Affairs)
3rd Place - Ghazaleh Laleh (College of Engineering)

2020-2021 Winners

1st Place - Dustin Davis (School of Integrated Health Sciences)
2nd Place - Christopher Wakefield (College of Liberal Arts)
3rd Place - Nina Paul (College of Liberal Arts)

2019-2020 Winners

1st Place - Weerakonda De Silva (College of Sciences)
2nd Place -  Mark Toussaint (College of Liberal Arts)
3rd Place - Elena Bejinariu (College of Urban Affairs)

2018-2019 Winners

1st Place - Joy Immak (College of Sciences)
2nd Place - Malayka Cornejo (College of Education)
3rd Place - Mirae Fornander (College of Liberal Arts)

2017-2018 Winners

1st Place - Matthew Le Claire (College of Liberal Arts)
2nd Place - Erdogan Kaya (College of Education)
3rd Place - Michael Isaacs (College of Life Sciences)

2016-2017 Winners

1st Place - Sarah Murphy (College of Education)
2nd Place - Nicholas Baxter (College of Liberal Arts)
3rd Place - Kazem Jadidirendi (College of Engineering)

2015-2016 Winners

1st Place — Andrew Scott Murtishaw (College of Liberal Arts)
2nd Place — Meysam Najimi (Howard R. Hughes College of Engineering)
3rd Place — Caitlin Saladino (Greenspun College of Urban Affairs)

2014-2015 Winners

1st Place — Jennifer Whitmer (College of Liberal Arts)
2nd Place — Moinak Bhaduri (College of Sciences)
3rd Place — Ashok EM Sudhakar (College of Engineering)

Directions for Submission

Students should submit applications as an electronic portfolio (PDF file) via the Graduate Rebel Gateway portal. Please organize the portfolio in the following order. Each section should be clearly marked. Incomplete or disorganized portfolios will be eliminated from consideration. The Graduate College will accept one nominee from each College. The Dean/Associate Dean of each respective College/School will provide signature and approve the one nominee on the form.

Please be sure your portfolio contains the following:

  1. Letter of nomination from your advisor/Graduate Advisory Committee chair.
  2. Two letters of recommendation from students or colleagues that address the candidate's pedagogical effectiveness, classroom achievements, and abilities as a teacher. At least one of the letters must be from a student that address the candidate's pedagogical effectiveness, classroom achievements, and abilities as a teacher.
  3. Curriculum Vitae, including courses taught in the last three years.
  4. One page statement of the candidate's teaching philosophy. Please also indicate whether you have received the award previously. 
  5. Teaching materials that demonstrate pedagogical excellence from two courses taught at UNLV between Fall 2021 and Summer 2024. Please organize the materials chronologically, by course. Please include: 
    • Copies of relevant course outlines/syllabi.
    • Representative student assignments.
    •  Samples of course handouts and/or exercises the candidate has developed.
    • Samples of exams or other assessments
    • Any additional materials, not listed above that demonstrate pedagogical excellence.
  6. Course evaluation information for the two classes presented as evidence of distinguished teaching. Please include:
    • Completed course evaluation forms or a department/unit summary of those forms (including students' narrative comments) for two courses completed between Fall 2021 and Summer 2024. Please block out any student names/NSHE identification information.

Course evaluation information for the two classes presented as evidence of distinguished teaching. Please include:

  • Ability to communicate effectively with students.
  • Success imparting knowledge.
  • Development of skills in a manner that excites students' interest in the subject matter.
  • Ability to stimulate students' interest in further educational aspirations.
  • Enthusiasm for assessing, revising, and updating instructional methods, materials and technologies.
  • Willingness to revise instructional activities through varied approaches, methods, materials, and/or technology to create active learning in the classroom.
  • Creation of assignments, exercises, and/or exams that encourage analysis and critical thinking.

Students may initiate the form which can be located under Forms > Additional Forms via the Graduate Rebel Gateway portal.

Nomination for Outstanding Student Teaching Form