The School of Management and Labor Relations recognizes faculty teaching excellence each year through two awards, one focused within each of the school's academic departments. Two additional awards have been recently added to expand on our recognition of teaching excellence within the school: the Best Required Course Award and the Doctoral Student Teaching Excellence Award.


Congratulations to the 2024 SMLR Teaching Excellence Award Winners!
Image of Doug Coffey
Image of Doug Coffey
2024 Teaching Excellence Awards
Photo of Vik Advani
Photo of Vik Advani
2024 Teaching Excellence Awards
Image of Bill Kane
Image of Bill Kane
2024 Teaching Excellence Awards
Photo of Nazifa Zaman
Photo of Nazifa Zaman
2024 Teaching Excellence Awards

James R. Chelius Award for Excellence in Teaching

The James R. Chelius Award for Excellence in Teaching was created by the Chelius family in honor of the late Professor James Chelius, who taught in the Human Resource Management (HRM) graduate program for 15 years. Students in the Department of Human Resource Management nominate a recipient and the selection is made by an HRM faculty committee consisting of the department chair and program directors.

We are delighted to honor Assistant Teaching Professor Doug Coffey as the recipient of the 2024 James R. Chelius Award for Excellence in Teaching. 

Past Recipients of the James R. Chelius Award
2023 - Kyra Leigh Sutton
2022 - Jessica R. Methot
2021 - Kyra Leigh Sutton
2020 - Peter Rokkos
2019 - Doug Coffey
2018 - Patrick Downes
2017 - Joseph McCune
2016 - Dave Ferio
2015 - Doug Coffey
2014 - Joseph McCune

Labor Studies and Employment Relations Faculty Teaching Award

The Labor Studies and Employment Relations Faculty Teaching Award recognizes the teaching excellence of a faculty member in the Department of Labor Studies and Employment Relations (LSER). A call for nominations is initiated throughout the department inviting undergraduate and graduate students as well as faculty to recommend a faculty member who exemplifies teaching excellence. The selection is made by a LSER faculty committee consisting of the department chair and program directors.

We are delighted to honor Teaching Instructor Vik Advani as the recipient of the 2024 Labor Studies and Employment Relations Faculty Teaching Award.

Past Recipients of the Labor Studies & Employment Relations Award

Best Required Course Award

The Best Required Course Award recognizes a faculty member for excellence in the preparation and delivery of a required SMLR course that represents critical learning in the field, stimulates additional learning beyond the course, and enables students to apply what they have learned to further their career. Undergraduate and graduate students along with faculty nominate a recipient and the selection is made by a committee of SMLR faculty.

We are delighted to honor both Associate Teaching Professor Carla Katz and Teaching Instructor Bill Kane as the recipients of the 2024 Best Required Course Award.

Past Recipients of the Best Required Course Award
2023 - Hadi El-Farr

Doctoral Student Teaching Excellence Award

The Doctoral Student Teaching Excellence Award recognizes doctoral students for delivering meaningful, engaging, and inclusive learning environments and creating innovative teaching approaches or content within SMLR. The Ph.D. Program Director nominates eligible doctoral students, and upon review of the nominees’ supporting materials, the Dean, Department Chair, and Ph.D. Program Director make the final selections.

We are delighted to honor Ph.D. students Nazifa Zaman and So Ri Park as recipients of the 2024 Doctoral Student Teaching Excellence Award. 

Past Recipients of the Doctoral Student Teaching Excellence Award
2023 - Jerry Liu and Jiyoon Park