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Regents' Teaching Award

The ÁùºÏ±¦µä Regents’ Teaching Award is given annually to two faculty members with distinguished records of teaching. One award shall be granted annually to one full-time faculty member who is tenured or tenure-track or who provides instruction as their primary assignment at UNLV, UNR, or NSC, or to a DRI faculty member who provides instruction as part of their regular assignment. The second award shall be granted annually to one full-time non-tenured or non-tenure track faculty member who provides instruction as part of their primary assignment at UNLV, UNR, or NSC, or to a DRI faculty member who provides instruction as part of their regular assignment. Nominations can be made by any NSHE employee or student, using the published criteria for the award. Candidates must have at least five years of cumulative service in the NSHE by the date of nomination in order to be considered for the award. This is a prestigious award, and the winner receives a special medal and a check for $5,000. Nominations are made in early fall each year, with the winner being announced in early spring.

Nomination process

To nominate a faculty member, send a formal letter of nomination through the candidate's dean. The nomination letter must:

  1. Address how the candidate accomplished a significant record of excellence in teaching that brought recognition to his or her institution.
  2. The letter must provide clear evidence of the candidate’s ability to communicate effectively with students, impart knowledge, and/or develop skills in a manner that excites students’ interest in the subject matter as well as students’ interest in furthering their educational aspirations.
  3. The letter must provide clear evidence of the candidate’s enthusiasm for assessing, revising, and updating instructional methods, materials and technologies; a willingness to attempt and revise innovative instructional activities through varied approaches, methods, materials, or technologies in an effort to create ongoing participatory/active learning in the classroom and move the state of instruction in a field to a new level or in new directions; and a recurring effort to create learning tasks (assignments, exercises, and/or exams) that encourage critical thinking/reasoning skills.
  4. The letter must provide clear evidence of the candidate’s eagerness to be accessible to all students and to provide students with accurate advisement and appropriate referrals to other campus departments or to other NSHE institutions.
  5. Complete the nomination form and return it with a nomination letter and supporting materials to the respective dean by the deadline established by the college/school.

Previous Regents' Teaching Award winners

Winners by year and program area
Year Name Area
2024 Ann-Marie Vollstedt Engineering
2023 Elena Pravosudova Biology
2022 Matthew Leone Criminal Justice (tenure track)
2021 Pamela Sandstrom Biology (non-tenure track)
2021 Geoff Smith Anthropology (tenure track)
2019 Jennifer Hollander Biology (non-tenure track)
2016 Sarah Cummings Chemistry
2011 Eric Rasmussen English
2010 David Ake Music
2009 Eric Wang Mechanical Engineering
2007 Scott Mensing Geography
2006 Thomas Nickles Philosophy
2005 Scott Casper History
2004 Paul F. Starrs Geography
2003 Cheryl Glotfelty English
2002 Gary Hausladen Geography
2000 Philip Boardman English
1998 Eugene LeMay Chemistry
1997 Meggin McIntosh Excellence in Teaching Program