Cora Lee Graham Award for Outstanding Teaching of Freshmen

Sponsored by: Cora Lee Graham of Union City, Tennessee

Nominations due: April 13

Eligibility: Limited to faculty of professional rank (Assistant Professor through Full Professor) in the College of Liberal Arts who are actively involved in teaching 100-or 200-level courses or other courses intended primarily for freshmen. Temporary and visiting faculty as well as previous recipients are not eligible.

Selection Criteria: Nominations should be submitted to the Office of the Dean, College of Liberal Arts. Criteria includes, but is not limited to, excellence of class instruction, intellectual stimulation of students, and concern for students’ welfare.

Recognition: The recipient is recognized during the College’s commencement ceremony, has his or her name added to award plaques in the Dean’s office, and received $1,000.

About the Award: In 1984, Cora Lee Graham of Union City, Tennessee, established an endowment and directed that the proceeds from her gift be used “to help retain your better professors who teach the freshman classes” in the College of Liberal Arts.

Past and Current Recipients:

2005 Aileen Ajootian – Classics
2006 Joe Turner Cantu – Theatre Arts
2007 Jason Ritchie – Chemisty & Biochemistry
2008 Tamar Goulet – Biology
2009 Greg Tschumper – Chemistry & Biochemistry
2010 Sarah Louisa (Lou) Haney – Art
2011 Eric Weber – Public Policy Leadership
2012 Jeff Jackson – Sociology & Anthropology
2013 Sarah Moses – Philosophy & Religion
2014 Melvin Arrington – Modern Languages
2015 Hilary Becker – Classics
2016 Joshua Brinlee – Art
2017 Steven Davis – Chemistry and Biochemistry
2018 Molly Pasco-Pranger – Classics
2019 Colin Jackson – Biology
2020 Catarina Passidomo – Southern Studies/Anthropology
2021 Neil Manson – Philosophy