MacEwan University’s Teaching Awards celebrate faculty members who go above and beyond. This year, two continuing faculty members are set to receive the Distinguished Teaching Award, and three sessional faculty members will receive the Sessional Instructor Teaching Excellence Award.
“These exceptional teachers are wonderful examples of MacEwan’s tradition of excellence,” says Dr. Craig Monk, provost and vice-president, Academic. “We are all guided by the principles of Teaching Greatness, and these faculty members consistently have a profound influence over our students and their academic success.”
The Distinguished Teaching Awards will be presented as part of the Spring Convocation ceremonies later this month.
About the recipients
Distinguished Teaching Awards
Dr. Amanda Nelund
Department of Sociology
Dr. Amanda Nelund guides her students through their studies with innovative course design, inclusive pedagogy and an ability to foster critical engagement and social responsibility. Her teaching exemplifies transformative learning that prepares students to address complex social issues with empathy and insight. Nelund consistently explores possibilities for improving criminal and social justice, particularly for women who have been victimized by crime.
Christine Pope
Department of Child and Youth Care
A MacEwan graduate herself, Christine Pope employs deeply student-centred teaching that is grounded in trauma-informed and anti-oppressive pedagogy. Her work fosters community-engaged learning that supports student growth and well-being. Pope is a proponent of interactive learning and uses field experiences to inform students, believing that those experiences are as important as concepts learned in the classroom. She also mentors and supports sessional and new faculty as the lead instructor for several practicum courses.
Sessional Instructor Teaching Excellence Awards
Cody Esih
Sessional Instructor, Department of Decision Sciences
Cody Esih is a MacEwan grad known for his engaging, inclusive and responsive teaching in statistics. By embracing a pedagogy of care and flexibility, he supports student success and makes a complex subject approachable and meaningful. Esih’s ultimate goal is to cultivate a supportive learning community with a variety of grading techniques, while also ensuring students know that their own mental health is vital to academic success.
Colin Waugh
Sessional Instructor, Department of Design
Colin Waugh uses an industry-informed, inclusive approach to teaching, and fosters hands-on learning experiences encouraging students to bring their experiences into their work. Keenly aware that the media industry is in a constant state of technological transformation, Waugh ensures that his students learn about the latest trends and developments while promoting experimentation. His classes are supportive and inclusive environments where students bring their unique experiences and their individual personalities to the assignments. He has written the Master Course Syllabus for new production courses that were approved after his students lobbied for the program to expand.
Dr. Lori Harper
Sessional Instructor, Department of Psychology
A MacEwan alum who has taught at the university for more than 20 years, Dr. Lori Harper is a model of student-centred teaching and consistent excellence in the classroom. Her innovative assignments and mentorship help students connect psychological theory with real-world application. Having benefited from the memorable support of a professor while a student herself, Dr. Harper consistently provides mentorship to students and encourages them to pursue their dreams. She has also developed a number of courses drawing from the vast experience she has working in the field of geriatric psychology.