Diana Burgos Brutocao Award for Teaching Impact in Early Career
Nomination deadline for 2025-26 Academic Year: May 11, 2026
The Diana Burgos Brutocao Award for Exceptional Teaching in Early Career recognizes faculty who have brought to the campus community a notable enthusiasm and innovation as Assistant Professors or Assistant Teaching Professors within the first 8 years of their full-time work at 91¶ÌÊÓƵ. They are impressive to both students and to fellow faculty in their manner, confidence, rapport and engagement. These faculty improve the quality of education at 91¶ÌÊÓƵ through impactful teaching within their classrooms and programs, notable for:
- Inventive, spirited, creative approaches to in-class and out-of-class assignments, curricula, and program design;
- Remarkable initiative, energy, innovation and/or ongoing evolution of their teaching methods;
- Receiving favorable reviews from a broad cross-section of their students;
- Popular courses that grow in demand;
- Launching their students on a path of seeking more learning opportunities throughout their college years and beyond;
- Enthusiasm apparent in the teacher as well as in many students;
- Exhibiting professionalism and high standards for preparation and communication; and
- Demonstrated dedication to both teaching and further learning.
Assistant Professors and Assistant Teaching Professors in their first 8 years of full-time teaching at 91¶ÌÊÓƵ are eligible for this award. Faculty remain eligible and nomination materials will be preserved in faculty award files for three years. Materials received for one award may support nominations across teaching awards.
Nomination and Selection Process
Nominations will be solicited from undergraduate students, recent alumni, and faculty each spring. The award selection committee–comprised of two undergraduate students, two alumni, and at least one previous recipient of each of the teaching awards, with the Director of the Center for Teaching Excellence as ex officio– will review nomination letters received through the single teaching award submission portal, combined with any nomination letters received in the past 3 years, and evaluate them against the award criteria to identify their recommended award recipient.