Without fail, April brings the flowering of tulips, broken dreams for Maple Leafs fans and a fresh batch of Students’ Union Teaching Excellence Awards.
The 21st installment of the awards took place Apr. 30 to honour the 27 professors chosen from over 500 student nominations. This year, the SU awarded cash prizes for the first time.
“The awards give students a great outlet to show how they appreciate their good professors,” said SU vice-president academic Shannon O’Connor. “I think it encourages teachers to perform, it gives them that little boost.”
The SU awarded $500 for each excellence award winner and $250 for honourable mentions. Winners and honourable mentions received an additional $1,000 and $500 towards their faculties, respectively.
“We wanted to reward professors and give them something more substantial than a plaque and a coffee cup,” said O’Connor.
This year marks the third excellence award for Dr. Allison Dube, and the second in two years. He says his third award is still an honour.
“The first word I felt was shocked and humbled,” said Dube. “It’s a strange feeling to get the third.”
He added that during his youth he yearned to teach at the university he once attended.
“The connection to the students means everything to me,” added Dube. “Of all the things I can do in my life, becoming a university lecturer is it.”