Centre for Teaching Excellence
Awards & GrantsAwards & Grants
TEACHING EXCELLENCE AWARDS
The Teaching Excellence Awards were created in 2018 to further Capilano University’s mandate as a teaching-focused institution, recognize outstanding faculty, and to communicate to internal and external community members the quality of educators employed at Capilano. The latter goal of quality education is a fundamental element of recruitment of students and faculty to this institution.
The Teaching Excellence Awards recognize excellence in teaching, as nominated by students. The nominations are adjudicated by committee according to the following criteria:
- Transformation of learning;
- Fostering a sense of learning community;
- Supporting multiple means of engagement during in-person and remote learning;
- Utilizing interactive teaching methods;
- Valuing student perspectives and diverse ways of knowing and being;
- Supporting health and wellbeing.
There are two nomination periods a year, one in the fall and one in the spring, with awards being announced in the spring.
Read the full Terms of Reference here.
2022 – 2023 TEACHING EXCELLENCE AWARDS
As a teaching-focused university, we could not be prouder of the exceptional response from students to this year’s call for nomination for the 2023 Teaching Excellence Awards. In the 399 detailed nominations received, students recognized the work of 158 faculty who inspired them with a distinct learning experience.
We are incredibly fortunate to have so many inspiring and dedicated instructors at Capilano University!
2022-2023 AWARDS RECIPIENTS
Kofi J.S. Gbolonyo
School of Performing Arts—Jazz
Kofi's Quote
A fun, safe, and inclusive environment promotes curiosity and trust. I hope to connect students to their heritage and the world through traditional, innovative education.
Student's Quote
Jerome has inspired me to be the best student I can be. He can break down the most difficult course material into concepts everyone can understand. His positive energy makes you come back for more.
Jerome Genz
School of Kinesiology
Jerome's Quote
Teaching is like telling a good story: the more we can draw students in with engaging content, vivid descriptions and imagery, the better the learning is.
Student's Quote
Jerome has inspired me to be the best student I can be. He can break down the most difficult course material into concepts everyone can understand. His positive energy makes you come back for more.
Laura Harrison
School of Performing Arts—Jazz
Laura's Quote
I place a strong emphasis on educating students to teach themselves through practical, hands-on methods.
Student's Quote
Laura’s teaching approaches and methods encourage us to ask questions and analyze concepts from many perspectives. When we make mistakes, she creates a learning moment for us by taking the time to explain why.
David Kirk
School of Access
David's Quote
How we connect and interact with people is most important in this journey we are all on, interaction and connection born from mutual respect.
Student's Quote
Seeing someone being proud of who they are helps us be proud of who we are too. We finally feel like we belong somewhere. David showed us there is light in the darkness.
Emma Trottier
School of Social Science
Emma's Quote
My approach to teaching is grounded in education of the whole person. I work to inspire and challenge students, partnering with them to achieve their goals.
Student's Quote
Emma has a way of putting herself in our shoes by connecting her educational experiences with our own student journey. She really sets us up for success.
2021 – 2022 Teaching Excellence Awards Recipients
Kent Lewis
English
Faculty Quotes
The essential ingredient in good teaching is fun. Happy students are curious, inquisitive and playful. When students feel relaxed and open, they pretty much teach themselves.
Student Quotes
Kent always made sure that we explored topics that spoke to us—topics where we could draw upon our own life experiences.
Alaa Al-Musalli
School of Communication
”Faculty
Student Quotes
Alaa taught us how to unlearn our own biases and how to navigate a world constantly producing and spreading disinformation.
Christy Goerzen
Arts & Entertainment Management
Faculty Quotes
It’s a great honour for me to walk alongside the students I work with as they grow, discover and flourish, and to support and champion them along the way.
Student Quotes
In a world where I’m confronted with judgement and self-doubt, Christy is one of the reasons why I feel more confident with my opinions and that it’s okay to be who I am.
Kevin Kirkland
Music Therapy
Faculty Quotes
The classroom is a place of possibility where praxis, creativity and critical thinking intersect, where we can embrace the pursuit of decolonizing and Indigenizing music therapy.
Student Quotes
Kevin creates a sense of safety and community by encouraging us to be open and vulnerable, and providing us a space to share our personal experiences in relation to course material.
Roy Jantzen
Tourism and Outdoor Recreation Management
Faculty Quotes
By centering my teaching around community-focused and experiential-based ideas, students can frame local to global issues within the natural environment—ultimately leading to action, and potentially, even activism.
Student Quotes
Roy opens us all to the importance of the natural world—I never realized how learning about nature, ecosystems and climate could affect every aspect of my learning.
2020 – 2021 Teaching Excellence Awards Recipients
Allen Stevens
Education Assistant Program
Faculty Quotes
My goal is to create conditions that will enable students to become lifelong learners. We are simultaneously teaching and learning from each other.
Student Quotes
Allen puts his heart and soul into our lessons and discussions. His students never feel judged, and his feedback is always valuable.
Danielle Wills
Mathematics and Statistics
Faculty Quotes
Teaching sciences is the art of distracting the mind with numbers and concepts, so the mysteries of the universe can introduce themselves to the heart.
Student Quotes
Danielle supported our online learning by incorporating interesting teaching methods/tools, and excellent instruction, but what set Danielle apart was her willingness to help.
Jane Ince
School of Communication
Faculty Quotes
In a world full of distractions, engaging every student in every class is my teaching priority. I hope they walk away each time with one gem, one nugget of knowledge, or one new tool in their toolkits that they can apply to their studies, their careers and their desire to make the world a better, more communicative place.
Student Quotes
Jane showed me classes could be fun. She is engaging, raw and honest in her teaching. I transformed the way I saw my classes.
Justin Wilson
Psychology
Faculty Quotes
“The self is not infinitely elastic – it has potentials and it has limits. If the work we do lacks integrity for us, then we, the work, and the people we do it with will suffer.” – Parker J. Palmer
To me teaching is about being humxn where one learns how to hold, rather than occupy space. Teaching is so much more than subject matter expertise, simultaneously representing a journey beyond fear and into authenticity where we learn to listen and listen to learn – To respect otherness and understand how interconnected and resourceful we all are. As these personal leadership qualities deepen, we are better able to hold spaces in which people feel invited to create their own communities of mutual support where people feel heard, understood, and valued.
Student Quotes
Justin is one of those teachers who really sees his students as people, which is particularly important when discussing very heavy, emotional topics.
Sarah Yercich
Sociology and Criminology
Faculty Quotes
Teaching is about creating open, respectful, and safe learner-centred environments in which students feel valued, empowered, and inspired. My approach focuses on students’ active engagement and inquiry, both within the classroom and their studies overall. This requires a dynamic approach to teaching that fosters engagement and collaborative participation in the learning process, as well as creative and non-traditional assignments that encourage in-depth engagement with the subject matter. However, one of the most valuable lessons I have learned is that what you teach is just as significant as how you teach it and, more importantly, how you treat your students. The learners in our classrooms are not just students. They are people with complex needs and lives both inside our classes and outside of university. As educators, we need to remember that kindness, compassion, understanding, and empathy are important educational tools.
Student Quotes
Sarah is one of the most selfless profs I’ve had. She really cares about our well-being and is there for us when we are struggling.
2019 – 2020 Teaching Excellence Awards Recipients
Leah J Bailly
English
Faculty Quotes
My students teach me so much about community, social change and the future of critical thinking. My job as instructor is to continue to listen and learn from their diverse, complex, innovative points of view. – Leah J Bailly
Student Quotes
Leah had me rethink my entire life and future with just one course. Her drive and passion for English is incredibly genuine, which helps her pass along her knowledge to students.
Michael J Begg
Legal Studies
Faculty Quotes
My goal is to guide students to their own moments of inspiration. By pushing myself outside of my comfort zone in the classroom, I try to create a space within which students feel safe taking risks. When students go along with this, the courses sing, and we all learn more. – Michael J Begg
Student Quotes
Michael has transformed the way I see and understand law. Whether it’s through his humor or theatrical performances, he brings the law to life in our classroom and gives it meaning, context and purpose.
Dara K Greaves
English
Faculty Quotes
A big part of my teaching is making connections – between me and the students, and between our classroom discussions and their lived experiences. I put a lot of energy into achieving these connections, and I’m grateful for the many motivated and creative students at Cap who return that energy a thousandfold! – Dara Greaves
Student Quotes
Dara pushed me to think critically and pull apart pieces of literature in different ways, as well as to bring my own experiences and opinions into class.
David M Matijasevich
Political Science
Faculty Quotes
Teaching is about recreating the best learning moments and hoping that they get passed on. – David M Matijasevich
Student Quotes
David’s way of teaching fosters dialogue between the entire class. David effortlessly manages to cultivate a unique environment in that students feel safe to voice their conflicting political opinions.
Tia M Smith
Early Childhood Education
Faculty Quotes
Amidst the role of teacher and students there can exist spaces of dialogue. It’s in these unanticipated and generative spaces that we gain new perspectives and our work becomes further relevant and engaging. – Tia M Smith
Student Quotes
Tia Smith not only offers an unconditional amount of compassion to all of her students, but as well has taught me to incorporate that quality when thinking and considering children, families and communities.
2018 – 2019 Teaching Excellence Awards Recipients
Reg Johanson
English
Faculty Quotes
I like it best when, despite the obstacles, we get somewhere unfamiliar. – Reg Johanson “
Student Quotes
Reg is an amazing teacher and human being. He cares about his students and makes everyone feel included in his discussions, no matter their viewpoint. He is driven and passionate about the topics he teaches which are always highly relevant. The topics discussed in class are always very interesting as they broaden your perspective and sharpen your critical thinking. Reg doesn’t solely focus on the technical side of writing but rather emphasizes creativity and reflection. He is truly an amazing teacher that adapts his teaching to the class he has. His group style teaching is a great way to keep us engaged as we constantly have collaborative talks that help us piece together single ideas into wonderful class discussions. Truly excellent teacher that spreads positivity and open-mindedness in all his classes.
Kym Stewart
Communications
Faculty Quotes
“Teaching at Cap U makes me truly happy. I love that I can ask students to take risks and play with curricular content and they trust me enough to engage in seemingly odd and unique lessons. Our experiences together are premised on creating a sense of wonder and awe in our everydayness so that skills developed in class can be used outside of it. – Kymberly Stewart “
Student Quotes
“Kym is the best teacher I have ever had. She is very passionate about what she teaches everyday we have her, which makes me and the class feel more passionate about the topic. She is extremely supportive in that she helped me immensely with a paper I had to write outside of class time. She always made class interesting by how she spoke and with in class activities she would have us do making it very easy to learn. Kym is very organized as she has plans for every class and has strict deadlines to ensure we can get our work in on time. She is very caring and it is obvious that she loves what she does through the enthusiasm she brings each day in and out of the class.“
Annabella Cant
Early Childhood Care & Education
Faculty Quotes
I became one with teaching. I feel at home in every classroom: daycare, undergraduate, or Master’s class. I love the thirst for learning and I love to meet it with my thirst of learning and sharing. I feel that my responsibility is to find a diversity of ways to reach every one of my students. By doing so, I am hoping to ignite a strong agency in them for sharing my lessons forward in their lives. I need to make sure that what I teach can be lived. I live teaching. – Annabella Cant “
Student Quotes
Annabella is always very energetic when she teaches the class. Whether we are going over the class readings or just a simple discussion of a project or documentary that we have watched. She is always sensitive and understanding to the students needs and is always personable with her students by checking on how we are feeling. She always makes me feel like I can approach her with any issue I may be having and she is willing to go above and beyond to make it better as best as she can. For example, during a night class with her if she see that the class is getting tired she will tell us to go for a walk or take a break to do some stretches together so we can come back into focus. Overall, she’s an extremely positive person and amazing teacher that keeps the class engaged with her jokes and high energy. She truly loves what she does.
Seanna McPherson
Motion Picture Arts
Faculty Quotes
Each student has a story that lives inside of them. My aim is to inspire and support students to find their voice and engage in discourse through disciplinary concepts, critical inquiry and creative process. – Seanna McPherson “
Student Quotes
From the moment I met Seanna, she has been nothing but inspirational. She is one of the most creative and passionate people I have met. I have had many conversations with her on pursuing one’s goals in order to share with and inspire others to do the same. She is very approachable and treats everyone with care and genuine interest. She makes me want to be a better professional and person.
Bruce Wilson
Outdoor Recreation Management
Faculty Quotes
I often reflect upon William Butler Yeats’s quote that “education is not the filling of a pail, but the lighting of a fire”. My role as an educator is to fan those flames with curiosity, wonder, empathy and passion, so that the fire for learning, burns white hot. – Bruce Wilson “
Student Quotes
Bruce is the best. He is unlike any other teacher I’ve ever learned from. Instead of focusing on old-school methodology and standardized testing under, he teaches individuals, not whole classes. I’ve been taken aside several times for coaching on how to achieve my goals and I’ve witnessed this invaluable process with Bruce and other students as well.In these changing times we must reward and value those who operate differently from the pack. That pack is slowing us down. Bruce is an exemplary educator; his passion for student learning trumps all else, even at the expense of ruffling a few feathers along the way. I’ve learned more about the realities of life and my career choices from this one man than I have from the collected lesson plans of several others on campus. He challenges us to think critically in an age where it’s becoming increasingly acceptable to simple listen to your phone and the collective hive mind that it represents. Bruce is a shining light as we stumble into the uncertainties of the modern world’s future.Thank you for everything, Bruce!
2017-2018 Teaching Excellence Awards Recipients
Stephen Atkins
Theatre
Faculty Quotes
“Success is about making sure that every outcome, good or bad, is part of a productive and enlightening process. Coming up with a motivating questions is just as valuable as coming up with right answers. – Stephen Atkins”
Student Quotes
“Stephen always puts the creative process and the student first. His approach to truly collaborative art is one of a kind. Student input is always a key factor in all his classes. I am continually inspired upon leaving every class.”
Barb Mathieson
Early Childhood Care & Education
Faculty Quotes
“Teaching for me is something that makes my heart sing. Whether I am teaching five-year olds or fifty-year olds, I love connection with my students and learning alongside them; they inspire me to push further and to think deeper. Teaching at Capilano University is a joy as the students are such a dynamic group and are so passionate and excited about learning. – Barb Mathieson”
Student Quotes
“Barb is the epitome of the teacher that I strive to become. In learning how to engage young children in processes that are less linear, she affords her students the same open-ended opportunities for learning; we are not forced to answer her questions, and are challenged to critically dissect all that we are surrounded by.”
Eugene Chu
Biology
Faculty Quotes
“I strive to impart a passion for learning to my students by creating a safe, fun and inspiring environment while providing all the necessary tools and resound to learn. – Eugene Chu”
Student Quotes
“He provides ample opportunities for us to think critically in class and be actively engaged in learning. His lectures promote student participation.”
Karen Okun
Business Administration
Faculty Quotes
“”Participating in and facilitating the personal and professional development of other human beings and their aspirations is the most privileged profession I can imagine. Helping people find and appreciate the very best they can in themselves is key. – Karen Okun”
Student Quotes
“”Karen Okun is the best instructor I could ask for. She shows excellence in all areas as a teacher: a true champion of the field. My experience at CapU is greatly exceeding my expectations, and Karen has played a huge role in that.”
Greig Gjerdalen
Tourism Managment & Outdoor Recreation Management
Faculty Quotes
“I like to treat all students as individuals and create a classroom community based on respect, trust, fairness and openness. I promote critical thinking and have students apply theory in their everyday life – Greig Gjerdalen”
Student Quotes
“He allows his students to absorb and interpret the information and encourages healthy debate on controversial topics. Classes are conducted to reach virtually every learning style: through lectures, readings, quizzes, papers, hands-on projects, discussion, debate, documentaries, field trips, he captures all the senses to fully engage every student.” “It is his passion for the material and genuine drive to be an excellent instructor that make him an inspirational faculty member and an asset to the University.”
Capilano University is named after Chief Joe Capilano, an important leader of the Squamish (Sḵwx̱wú7mesh) Nation of the Coast Salish people. We respectfully acknowledge that our campuses are located on the unceded sovereign Indigenous Nations of Lil’wat, xʷməθkʷəy̓əm(Musqueam), Shíshálh (Sechelt), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh(Squamish) and Səl̓ílwətaʔ/Selilwitulh (Tsleil-Waututh).
Capilano University | 2055 Purcell Way | North Vancouver | BC | Canada | V5J 3H5