Lambda Chi Teaching Award

 

The Lambda Chi Teaching Award acknowledges excellence in teaching first-year or introductory undergraduate courses. The annual $1,500 award is bestowed on one full-time faculty member and is made possible by the men of the Lambda Chi fraternity.

Candidates for this award must be full-time faculty (but not necessarily tenure-track) who are employed by USD and meet all USD requirements to be a faculty member in good standing. “First-year” and “introductory” courses are those that provide an introduction to a discipline or field of study, or those courses that are typically taken by first-year students. If an applicant believes that their course fits one of those definitions, but it is not obvious based on title or course number, they will be allowed to explain how their course meets these guidelines within the application. Past recipients of this award shall not be selected for repeat awards for a period of three years.

Award Criteria

  • Evidence that the instructor has clear learning outcomes, evidence that the students are meeting those outcomes, and evidence that critical reflection has been used to better understand and improve the course.
  • Evidence of innovation in the classroom through the use of imaginative teaching methods and high-impact teaching practices (undergraduate research, service learning, inclusive excellence, etc.).
  • Evidence of teaching and mentoring (both in and out of the classroom) that challenges learners to practice and develop critical thinking and independent learning abilities
  • Evidence that the instructor created a respectful and safe environment where learning can flourish for all students

Award Winners

2021 Award Winner

Lauren Freese, an Assistant Professor in the Department of Art, was honored as the recipient of the 2021 Lambda Chi Teaching Award. Freese has been an Assistant Professor at USD since 2017. Professor Freese teaches ARTH 211/HIST 211 “History of World Art I” and ARTH 212/HIST 212 “History of World Art II” along with other undergraduate and graduate courses including Art Museums: History/Practice, 20th Century Art History, and Independent Study. Freese earned a B.A. in Art History & Business Administration from Hamline University in 2011, an M.A. in Art History from the University of Iowa in 2013, and a Ph.D. in American Art History from the University of Iowa in 2017.  

Past Award Winners

Year Tenured
2021 Lauren Freese
Department of Art
College of Fine Arts
2020 Laura Kruger
Department of Kinesiology and Sport Management
School of Education
2019 Carol Cool Geu
Department of Art
College of Fine Arts
2018 Aimee Sorensen
Department of Communication Studies
College of Arts & Sciences
2017 Jacob Kerby
Department of Biology
College of Arts & Sciences