College of Liberal Arts & Sciences
Rachel Williams wins 2016 President and Provost Award for Teaching Excellence
Congratulations to GWSS professor and department chair Rachel Williams! Rachel is one of four University of Iowa faculty members who have won the 2016 President and Provost Award for Teaching Excellence in recognition of their years of outstanding teaching. The other recipients are: Anton Kruger, professor of electrical and computer engineering in the College of Engineering; Dan Matheson, lecturer and Sport and Recreation degree program director in the Department of Health and Human Physiology in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences (CLAS); and Daniel Weeks, professor of biochemistry in the Carver College of Medicine (CCOM).
"Williams is a socially engaged teacher, artist, and scholar who uses art instruction as a means for connecting the academic world with people who may have few opportunities to experience art and the benefits of creativity. An example of her innovations in this area is the Women’s Collective, a curriculum for women in prison that now serves almost 100 women each fall through a 10-week program, with each class facilitated by university students. The program is a powerful learning opportunity for the women who are incarcerated and for the students, who invariably report it as one of the most powerful experiences of their academic careers. Williams’ interdisciplinary research, in combination with her outreach efforts, recently lead her to spearhead the creation of a new major in social justice. In 2012, she received the Michael J. Brody Award for Faculty Excellence in Service."
The award, which is administered by the UI Council on Teaching, was created in 2004 as a university-wide recognition for faculty members who have demonstrated a sustained, high level of teaching excellence.
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