Purpose: To recognize outstanding WI teaching that helps achieve the mission of Writing to Learn and Learning to Write within the disciplines.

*This award is $500 as a funds transfer to the recipients E&E account or other specified departmental account.

Award Criteria:

• Evidence of reaching and exceeding the WI Guidelines.
• Assignments that promote critical thinking, multiple interpretations, and meaningful learning.
• Evidence that the instruction delivers what it sets out to (student success within the writing requirements of the course).
• Demonstrates clear understanding of “writing to learn” and “learning to write” theories and practices.
• Writing as a process is supported through the instruction and assignment design.
• Nominated faculty, staff, or teaching assistants should be teaching or helping with a WI course during the academic year for which they are nominated.
• (For the Win Horner Award)  Evidence of innovative WI course and assignment design and instruction.

Eligibility:

• Open to all benefits-eligible Writing Intensive faculty, staff, and teaching assistants
• Nominees may re-apply if not previously awarded.  Previous winners are not eligible for five years for the same award.

The Process:

Nominations are accepted from advisors, chairs, colleagues, teaching assistants, Campus Writing Board members, and students regarding exemplary WI instructors that represent the three sectors (Humanities & Arts, Education & Social Science, Natural & Applied Science).  Self-nominations are also accepted, except in the case of teaching assistants, who must be nominated by a faculty member.

For outside nominations:

• Cover letter written by the nominator addressing how this nominee’s work fits the criteria. Limit: 2 pages
• Current WI syllabus and example of a writing assignment or description of work that supports WI instruction

• Just one of the following:
  • Evaluations from the most recent semester of teaching a WI course
  • Comments from students (ideally 3-5 student comments/letters about the writing assignments, the types of responses received, how they grew as writers, and what was learned through the writing experiences)
• Just one of the following:
  • Teaching observation of the nominee completed by someone other than the nominator
  • Statement of WI Teaching Philosophy from the Nominee
    

For self-nominations:

• Cover letter written addressing how their teaching and/or WI support fits the criteria. Limit: 2 pages
• Current WI syllabus and at least one writing assignment or explanation of work that supports WI 
• Just one of the following:
  • Evaluations from the most recent semester of teaching a WI course
  • Comments from students (ideally 3-5 student comments/letters about the writing assignments, the types of responses received, how they grew as writers, and what was learned through the writing experiences)
• Just one of the following:
  • Teaching observation (can be formative or summative) 
  • Letter of recommendation from a colleague
    

For Graduate TA nominations:

• Cover letter written by the faculty nominator addressing how the TA’s teaching, grading, and/or mentoring fits the criteria. Limit: 2 pages
• Current syllabus and at least one writing assignment and 1-2 TA graded essays.

• Just one of the following:
  • Course evaluations that specifically ask about the TA’s contribution to the WI course
  • Comments from students in the course (ideally 3-5 student comments/letters about the course, about the writing assignments, the types of responses received, how they grew as writers, and what was learned through the writing assignments)
• Just one of the following
  • Teaching observation (either formative or summative) of the graduate student from either a WI or non-WI course completed by someone other than the nominator
  • Letter of support from another faculty member who worked with this graduate student
    

Submission Instructions: Submit a nomination packet as a single PDF to Em Stagg at the Campus Writing Program: cwp@missouri.edu

Selection Committee:

• Representatives from the Campus Writing Board
• Writing Intensive instructors and tutors
• Campus Writing Program representatives
• Student representative

Printable Call for Nominations