Promising Professor Award

Each year, MCSD acknowledges excellence in teaching with the Promising Professor Award. This award honors one junior faculty member and one graduate student who demonstrate excellence and innovation in teaching. The award is open to faculty who have taught for no more than five years full-time and graduate students who have primary responsibility for teaching at least one course. All entrants must be members of the MCS Division.Winners in each category (faculty and graduate student) are selected by the MCSD Vice Head and Teaching Committee. The review criteria align with the goals established by AEJMC’s Teaching Standards Committee and include teaching methods, assessments, pedagogical innovations, course syllabi, and course content. 

Submission Details: 

Submit the following information as ONE PDF (no more than 15 pages) with the applicant’s name in the title of the PDF file, and please CLEARLY indicate whether you are a current faculty member or a graduate student who is teaching at least one course:

• Current curriculum vita (no more than five pages)
• Letter of support from department chair or dean
• An application letter of no more than two pages explaining what makes your teaching unique, and your assessment of your strengths and weaknesses as an instructor
• Evidence of teaching effectiveness
• At least two syllabi from classes you have taught within the past two years (Graduate students may send only one)
• At least two examples of assignments used in those classes

Submission Deadline: April 30th at 11:59 p.m. (EDT). The nomination PDF should be emailed to the MCSD Awards Chair. 

Award: $500

The award winners will be recognized at the MCSD Awards Luncheon at the national conference with a plaque. Winners will also be listed on the Division’s website.