Northeastern Illinois University has selected Professor of Women’s and Gender Studies Laurie Fuller as the 2018 recipient of the Audrey Reynolds Distinguished Teaching Award.
Professor Emerita of Linguistics Audrey Reynolds established the award to be given annually to a tenured member of the Northeastern faculty who best demonstrates distinguished teaching.
“I am passionate about teaching,” Fuller said. “My classrooms are spaces to discuss course topics and current events with a goal to support all students to learn, and to build knowledge bases and practices that support people's liberation.”
Of this year’s nominees, the Reynolds Award Committee selected two finalists after careful consideration of nomination letters submitted by colleagues and other members of the University community.
The finalists demonstrated evidence of excellence in teaching, and in each of the dossiers the committee found evidence of innovation, high standards and a positive impact on students at the University. After careful review, the committee recommended Fuller as this year’s recipient of the award, which will be formally presented at the December 2018 Commencement Ceremony.
Fuller said her teaching is organized around four central themes:
- Intersectionality: how race, class, gender, sexuality, nationality, religion and other identity markers are a part of how we understand ourselves, others and society.
- Self-love and self-care as forms of resisting violence and oppression, especially in a world that teaches many of our students to hate themselves.
- Community building as a form of learning.
- Innovative learning environments, including online engagement, research communities, student clubs, and community organizations to facilitate learning.
“I focus on these four areas because of my feminist politic and commitment to students,” Fuller said. “It is also based on sound research about the relationship between a positive classroom climate and student academic success.”
As the Audrey Reynolds Distinguished Teaching Award recipient, Fuller will receive $5,000 and will give a presentation regarding teaching during the Spring 2019 semester.
