Jerry S. Rawls Distinguished Undergraduate Educator Awards
2026 Event Details
Congratulations to the 2026 Honorees
Abhishek Nirjar
Doctoral Student and Part-Time Graduate Instructor, Marketing and Supply Chain Management
Tolulope (Tolu) Okelola
Doctoral Student, Lyons School of Accounting
Zachary Keeler, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of Practice, Energy Commerce and Business Economics
Mary Frances Weatherly
Associate Professor of Practice, Marketing and Supply Chain Management; Faculty Director,
Online BBA Program
When Jerry S. Rawls made his transformative $25 million naming gift to the business college in 2001, he enabled the Jerry S. Rawls College of Business to focus on excellence in research and education. Though much has changed over the years, the need for great teachers is as important as ever. With this need in mind, Rawls made a second transformational gift, funding the establishment of the Jerry S. Rawls Distinguished Undergraduate Educator Awards.
Designed to recognize Rawls College faculty and doctoral students who consistently go above and beyond to inspire students, challenge them to do their best work, and prepare them for long-term success, the Jerry S. Rawls Distinguished Undergraduate Educator Awards enhance the visibility of faculty/doctoral students who make the undergraduate classroom the focus of their passion and commitment. As the largest teaching award within Rawls College, each year, two full-time faculty are awarded $20,000 and two part-time instructors or doctoral students are awarded $5,000.
Eligibility
Full-time faculty, part-time instructors, and doctoral students who taught an undergraduate-level course within Rawls College at any time can be nominated for Jerry S. Rawls Distinguished Undergraduate Educator Awards.
Please consider the following criteria when making your nomination(s). Your instructor:
- Taught information and skills valued by employers and relevant to your job performance and professional success
- Exhibited passion for the subject matter
- Engaged students
- Structured the course effectively
- Communicated clearly and effectively
Nominate an Excellent Undergraduate Educator
All current Texas Tech undergraduate students who have taken a course in Rawls College and Rawls College alumni are encouraged to nominate an undergraduate educator who has positively impacted their educational experience.
Nominations need not be lengthy, but should provide specific information detailing how the individual has excelled as an instructor and achieves the criteria for the award. If the nominee is inspiring, explain why. If the nominee influenced your career path, explain how.
Nominations open in late fall.
Awards
Once student and alumni nominations have been received and sorted, each nominee will be invited to submit supporting information and documentation that will help the selection committee finalize award winners. Nominees with complete applications will be reviewed holistically by a seven-member committee composed of three faculty and four students. The committee will be led by a member of the Texas Tech Teaching Academy from another college.
Recipients will be expected to host a teaching workshop over the course of the next academic year and to serve as a teaching mentor so that all faculty can learn from their successes and determine how best to incorporate these best practices into their own teaching.
Contact
For more information, please email Dino Villegas.
Rawls College of Business
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Address
Rawls College of Business, Box 42101, 703 Flint Avenue, Lubbock, TX 79409 -
Phone
806.742.3188 -
Email
ba_webmaster@ttu.edu