Teaching Awards
Western Carolina University takes great pride in the quality of education provided to our students. Our faculty work very hard to maintain these high standards and are constantly working towards creating an ever-evolving and engaging learning environment. As a means to recognize faculty and staff who have gone above and beyond expectations, WCU provides several awards to highlight their accomplishments. The CFC coordinates the process for the selection of awards as directed by the Office of the Provost.
Board of Governors Award for Excellence in Teaching
The UNC System’s Board of Governors Award for Excellence in Teaching was created in 1994 to encourage, identify, recognize, reward, and support excellence in teaching within the university. A cash award and a bronze medallion created especially for the award are given to sixteen recipients, one from each institution, at an annual recognition luncheon hosted by the UNC System’s Board of Governors in the spring.
Award Amount: $12,500
Deadline for the 2024-2025 Submission: September 15, 2024.
Board of Governors Award Guidelines
More information, including a list of previous winners, can be found on the Office of the Chancellor’s Board of Governors Award for Excellence in Teaching website.
Chancellor’s Distinguished Teaching Award
The Chancellor’s Distinguished Teaching Award encourages, recognizes, and rewards superior teaching and meritorious performance.
Teaching faculty in their third year of service at WCU are eligible for nomination if they have not received this award in the preceding five years.
Award Amount: $5,000
Students and faculty may nominate finalists as a part of WCU’s integrated awards system that occurs every January.
Chancellor’s Distinguished Teaching Award Committee Procedures
Chancellor’s Distinguished Teaching Award Policies
More information, including a list of previous winners, can be found on the Chancellor’s Distinguished Teaching Award page.
Innovative Scholar Award
This award encourages and recognizes a faculty member who produced exemplary types of scholarship outside of the scholarship of discovery, including integration, engagement, and teaching and learning.
The award is open to any full-time faculty member or faculty team who has taught at Western Carolina University for at least one year.
Award Amount: $2,000
Students and faculty may nominate finalists as a part of WCU’s integrated awards system that occurs every January.
More information, including a list of previous winners, can be found on the Innovative Scholarship Award page.