Win Horner Award for Innovative Writing Intensive Teaching: $1,500

Purpose: Dr. Horner was a nationally known and respected pioneer in “writing across the curriculum” and chaired the Composition Task Force that formed MU’s Campus Writing Program. Preference is given to faculty who demonstrate the same pioneering spirit in their teaching of Writing Intensive courses through developing a new and innovative WI course or implementing new approaches within their teaching.

The Writing Intensive Excellence Awards: $500

Purpose: To recognize outstanding WI teaching and support for WI teaching that helps achieve the mission of writing to learn and learning to write within the disciplines. Up to 5 awards will be given.

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.  Self-nominations are also accepted, except in the case of teaching assistants, who must be nominated by a faculty member.

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 and 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.
  

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 Carla Gallegos at the Campus Writing Program: carla.gallegos@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