In celebration of its dedicated members and supporters, New Mexico State University hosted the 20th annual Teaching Academy Gala: Champagne and Chocolate May 11. The Teaching Academy provides training, mentoring and networking to NMSU faculty, staff and graduate instructors.
The gala recognized more than 300 NMSU Teaching Academy members and donors. This year, the Teaching Academy hosted almost 150 sessions of events made possible by its donors. The gala celebrated these members because of their contributions to the Teaching Academy’s vision and mission to enhance student success and help educators become better teachers, scholars, leaders and mentors.
NMSU interim Chancellor Jay Gogue began the tradition when he gave the directive to establish the Teaching Academy during his tenure as NMSU’s president in 2003.
“The Teaching Academy has worked indefatigably to achieve student success through great teaching,” Gogue said. “Since 2003 when the academy was founded, the academy has been recognized nationally and internationally 13 times. These recognitions have mostly been for its member-driven, donor-supported model.”
Teaching Academy Director Tara Gray expressed her gratitude toward Gogue for having the vision to establish the Teaching Academy 20 years ago. Gray said 2023 is a special year not only because it is the Teaching Academy’s 20th anniversary, but it is also the 23rd anniversary of the Center for Educational Development, the center that preceded the Teaching Academy.
The Teaching Academy honored its two most distinguished members and recognized an outstanding teacher, a mentor and a workshop presenter. The ceremony concluded by honoring and welcoming the Teaching Academy’s newest honorary member.
Monica Montoya and Tanya Allred were recognized as the two most distinguished members for participating in most faculty development events during the membership year.
Montoya, social work college assistant professor, has more than 20 years of clinical social work experience with child welfare system-impacted families in the borderlands. Her research focuses on culturally responsive social work education.
Allred, assistant division head and English professor at NMSU Alamogordo, is the first distinguished member from an NMSU community college. She has used what she has learned from the Teaching Academy to help students learn, explore and engage.
Anna Nelson, social work college assistant professor, received the Celebration of Teaching Award for her presentation on how to create community in a large class through a five-dialogue series. Nelson promotes safe spaces for her students to learn and focuses her research on critical race and intersectionality theories. She has received numerous accolades from students for her work promoting social justice and equity in education.
Michael Hout, psychology associate professor, received the Outstanding Workshop Award for his workshop on seeking funding for the National Science Foundation. Hout worked as program director for the NSF for two years, co-directing the Perception, Action and Cognition program and the Cognitive Neuroscience program. At NMSU, Hout directs the Vision Sciences and Memory Laboratory and co-directs the Addison Care Virtual and Augmented Reality Lab.
Wladimir Lyra, astronomy associate professor, received the Truly Innovative Teaching Award. Lyra has published more than 70 peer-reviewed scientific articles and has developed 11 courses. His innovation for non-hierarchical classrooms has helped students and teachers work as a collective.
Patricia MacGregor-Mendoza, Spanish and linguistics professor, received the Outstanding Mentor of the Year Award. MacGregor-Mendoza has provided workshops and guidance to faculty from a variety of departments at NMSU. She also provides mentoring to graduate students.
Sherry Kollmann, associate vice chancellor of Digital Learning, was welcomed as the Teaching Academy’s newest honorary member for her elevation of the status of teaching and for her contributions to faculty development. She is known for her ability to cultivate an environment of trust and respect. Kollmann has more than 20 years of experience in business and education and is responsible for growing the NMSU Global Campus.
To learn more about the Teaching Academy, visit https://teaching.nmsu.edu.
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CUTLINE: New Mexico State University Provost Alan Shoho (left) and NMSU interim Chancellor Jay Gogue (right) presented Tanya Allred, assistant division head and English professor at NMSU Alamogordo, with a most distinguished member award at the NMSU Teaching Academy Gala May 11. (NMSU photo by Josh Bachman)