Past recipients of the University Exemplary Department Award

The University Exemplary Department Awards program recognizes the work of departments and/or programs that maintain exemplary teaching and learning environments for students and faculty. With this award, the university publicly honors the collaborative efforts and successes of a group of dedicated colleagues actively performing work that is essential for sustaining truly excellent academic environment.

The University Exemplary Department Awards are given in recognition that the academic excellence of individuals is achieved within distinctive working and learning environments to which many individuals contribute in essential ways. Awards totaling $40,000 are given annually.

Established in 1994, the awards program is part of the university’s Faculty Rewards Project which seeks to clarify the expectations of faculty, and define appropriate rewards for accomplishments.

Past recipients of the University Exemplary Department Award and the award theme are:

1994 : Effectively linking research with teaching, with particular concentration on innovative undergraduate programs: Department of Biochemistry, Department of Electrical Engineering, and Department of Mechanical Engineering.

1995 : Managing faculty resources of time and talent effectively and creatively to fulfill stated departmental or program missions: Department of Communications Studies, Department of English, Women’s Studies Program.

1996 : Developing and sustaining innovative and effective departmental approaches to introductory course at the graduate or undergraduate levels: Department of Engineering Fundamentals, Department of Geological Sciences, Department of Mathematics.

1997 : Maintaining a high quality of advising both at the graduate and undergraduate level: Department of Agricultural and Applied Economics, Department of Animal and Poultry Sciences, Department of Mining and Minerals Engineering.

1998 : Working collaboratively across departmental boundaries to fulfill common or complementary goals: Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering and Building Construction, Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Urban Affairs and Planning Program.

1999 : Effectively linking research with teaching, with particular concentration on innovative undergraduate programs: Department of Aerospace and Ocean Engineering, Department of Physics, Department of Psychology.

2000: Effectively increasing diversity of faculty, staff, and students, and/or enhancing multicultural perspectives in teaching, research, and outreach programs. Dean of Students Office, Educational Leadership and Policy Studies Program, Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering.

2001 : Developing and sustaining innovative and effective departmental approaches to introductory course at the graduate or undergraduate levels: Department of Forestry, Marriage and Family Therapy Program in Northern Virginia, Residential Leadership Community.

2002 : Maintaining a high quality of advising both at the graduate and undergraduate level: Department of Animal and Poultry Sciences, Department of Biology, Department of Mining and Minerals Engineering.

2003 : Working collaboratively across departmental boundaries to fulfill common or complementary goals: Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Department of Materials Sciences and Engineering, and Department of Physics; Department of Foreign Languages and Literatures and the Pamplin College of Business; Graduate and International Programs; Graduate Program in Science and Technology Studies.

2004 : Effectively linking research and scholarship with teaching, with particular concentration on innovative undergraduate programs: Department of Biological Systems Engineering, Department of History, Department of Theatre Arts.

2005 : Enhancing global diversity by effectively increasing the numbers of culturally different faculty, staff, and students and/or promoting and supporting international and multicultural perspectives to support the missions of the university: Cranwell International Center, Department of Human Development.

2006 : Developing and sustaining innovative and effective departmental approaches to introductory course at the graduate or undergraduate levels: Department of Communication, Department of Engineering Education.

Founded in 1872 as a land-grant college, Virginia Tech is the most comprehensive university in the Commonwealth of Virginia and is among the top research universities in the nation. Today, Virginia Tech’s eight colleges are dedicated to quality, innovation, and results through teaching, research, and outreach activities. At its 2,600-acre main campus located in Blacksburg and other campus centers in Northern Virginia, Southwest Virginia, Hampton Roads, Richmond, and Roanoke, Virginia Tech enrolls more than 28,000 undergraduate and graduate students from all 50 states and more than 100 countries in 180 academic degree programs.