FIMS Award for Excellence in Teaching

Recognizing outstanding teaching and student impact

The FIMS Award for Excellence in Teaching recognizes teaching as a central part of the work of FIMS faculty. The award celebrates contributions to teaching that support the intellectual development, engagement and well-being of students at all levels.

Awards are presented in two categories: full-time faculty and part-time faculty.

Nominate a FIMS educator

Students, faculty and staff are invited to nominate FIMS educators who have made an outstanding contribution to teaching and learning.

Who can nominate?
Students · Faculty · Staff · Self-nominations

Award categories
Full-time Faculty · Part-time Faculty

Nomination deadline
Nominations for the 2025-26 FIMS Teaching Awards of Excellence are due by January 15, 2026.

View nomination guidelines (pdf)

How the nomination process works


The award is presented in two categories: full-time faculty and part-time faculty.

Full-time faculty:
Previous recipients are not eligible to be nominated again for three years following receipt of the award.

Part-time faculty:
Nominees must meet the teaching requirements outlined for the award. Previous recipients are not eligible to be nominated again for one year following receipt of the award.

Nominations are reviewed by the FIMS Executive Committee, which includes elected faculty and student representatives alongside FIMS leadership.

Has a FIMS instructor made a meaningful impact on your learning? Undergraduate and graduate students can nominate eligible faculty members for the FIMS Award for Excellence in Teaching.

Before submitting a nomination, students should confirm that the faculty member is willing to accept the nomination, as nominees are required to provide supporting materials.

You, as the nominating student, will also be required to submit a (1 page max) letter of nomination.

FIMS Award for Excellence in Teaching recipients

Full-time Faculty Part-time Faculty
2025
Pam McKenzie Professor
Lucia Cedeira Serantes Assistant Professor
2024
Grant Campbell Professor
Heather Hill Associate Professor
2023
Melissa Adler Associate Professor
Juan Bello Assistant Professor
Roger Chabot Assistant Professor
2022
Amanda Grzyb Professor
Anabel Quan-Haase Professor
Paulette Rothbauer Associate Professor
Mark Kearney Lecturer
Andie Shabbar Assistant Professor
2021
Sandy Smeltzer Associate Professor
Christopher Clark Lecturer
Angela Pollak Assistant Professor
Full-time Faculty Part-time Faculty
2020
Erin Isings Lecturer
Mark Kearney Lecturer
2019
Melissa Adler Assistant Professor
Heather Hill Associate Professor
Romayne Smith-Fullerton Associate Professor
Selma Purac Lecturer
Warren Steele Assistant Professor
2018
Jacquelyn Burkell Associate Professor
Mark Rayner Lecturer
Mark Kearney Lecturer
2017
Tim Blackmore Professor
Nick Dyer-Witheford Associate Professor
Andie Shabar Lecturer
Tiara Sukhan Lecturer
2016
Meredith Levine Lecturer
Victoria L. Rubin Associate Professor
Robert Craig Lecturer
Selma Purac Lecturer
Warren Steele Assistant Professor
Full-time Faculty Part-time Faculty
2015
Jeremy Copeland Lecturer
Lu Xiao Associate Professor
Kane Faucher Assistant Professor
Mark Kearney Lecturer
2014
Norma Coates Associate Professor
Mark Rayner Lecturer
Paulette Rothbauer Associate Professor
Selma Purac Lecturer
Warren Steele Assistant Professor
2013
Susan Knabe Associate Professor
Anabel Quan-Haase Associate Professor
Kane Faucher Assistant Professor
Mark Kearney Lecturer
2012
Paul Benedetti Lecturer
Ajit Pyati Associate Professor
Michael Daubs Assistant Professor
2011
Amanda Grzyb Associate Professor
Nadine Wathen Associate Professor
Bill Irwin Assistant Professor
Full-time Faculty Part-time Faculty
2010
John Reed Lecturer
Sharon Sliwinski Associate Professor
Selma Purac Lecturer
2009
Alison Hearn Associate Professor
Lynne McKechnie Professor
Warren Steele Assistant Professor
2008
Paul Benedetti Lecturer
Martha Joyce Lecturer
Gord Nickerson Lecturer
2007
Cliff Lonsdale Lecturer
Jennifer Noon Lecturer
Sandra Smeltzer Associate Professor
Mark Rayner Lecturer
2006
Tim Blackmore Professor
Grant Campbell Associate Professor
Amanda Grzyb Associate Professor
Robin Keirstead Lecturer

Dean's Award for Lifetime Excellence in Teaching

The inaugural Dean's Award for Lifetime Excellence in Teaching, in recognition of a distinguished teaching career in the Faculty of Information & Media Studies, was awarded in 2018.

2018 · Inaugural Recipient

Paul Benedetti

Lecturer