Award for Excellence by a Graduate Teaching Assistant

The Award for Graduate Teaching Assistant recognizes excellence by graduate teaching assistants (GTAs) who are not instructors of record, but who provide teaching support and assistance under the direction of a lead teacher. This award focuses on the extent and quality of the assistance provided by the student to the lead instructor and the students in the class. Excellence in serving as a GTA may be demonstrated by evidence such as (but not limited to): lead teacher evaluations, student letters attesting to teaching excellence (limited to no more than five pages), a typical lab syllabus, a sample project/assignment for which the GTA was responsible for grading.

Eligibility

• Currently enrolled in a UCF master’s or doctoral program or graduated from a UCF master’s or doctoral program in 2024
• Served as a GTA under the direction of a lead teacher at UCF (and not as the instructor of record) within the past year (i.e., spring 2024, summer 2024, or fall 2024)
• Selected as the 2024-2025 winner of the college-level award

Students can only win the university award once.

Application Requirements

• An electronic one-page nomination letter from the chair of the department or a faculty member that discusses the teaching of the nominee, with particular attention paid to the nominee’s contribution to the teaching of the department. This letter should address the strengths of the student, stressing how the nominee stands out within the departmental context.
• An electronic copy of the student’s complete curriculum vita, highlighting the student’s teaching assignments and accomplishments.
• A brief electronic (no more than one page) statement of the student’s teaching philosophy.
• Electronic copies of syllabi for all courses for which the student served as GTA.
• Electronic copies of summaries of all teaching evaluations.
• Applications must be submitted electronically to your Associate Dean for Graduate Studies in your academic college. 

Nomination Process

Nominations must be submitted electronically to your College’s Associate Dean for Graduate Studies for consideration for the college award. The college associate dean will charge a committee to evaluate the documentation submitted by the nominees and select the person to receive the college award. The selected award winner for each college will then be forwarded to the Interim Dean of the College of Graduate Studies by email at gradawards@ucf.edu for consideration for the university award. Forwarded files must contain a letter of support from the college Dean/School Director or his/her designee.

Award

Each winner of the university awards will receive a certificate and a cash award of $1,500. For each university award, as many as two honorable mentions can be awarded and each will receive a certificate. Awards will distributed during the Student Research Week Awards of Excellence.

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Past Winners