Campus Connection

Second in a series of profiles on this year’s Eagle Teaching Excellence Award winners

Six UW-La Crosse faculty members are being recognized for excellence in teaching. They are the 2017 Eagle Teaching Excellence Award winners. This year the Provost Office received approximately 800 teacher nominations from UWL students. A UWL committee selected the winners. Winners were announced at the end of spring semester and as part of spring commencement. They will be recognized among colleagues at the Chancellor’s All-University Address in fall. This year’s winners are:

• Gwen Achenreiner ~ Marketing
• Rita Chen ~ Education Studies
• Faye Ellis ~ Biology
• Gary Gilmore ~ Health Education/Health Promotion
• Brad Nichols ~ Art
• Lindsay Steiner ~ English

 Editor’s note: This is the second in a series of short profiles recognizing the six faculty to receive the Eagle Teaching Excellence Award.  Faye Ellis, senior lecturer, Department of Biology

“Faye has been the best teacher I've had here at La Crosse. She is open, friendly and truly pushes you to become better. She encourages student participation with an open atmosphere in which you feel free to share your opinions and ask question. Her office is always open and she catches up with you every chance that she gets. All this does not mean that she is an easy teacher. I found her courses very challenging, which I enjoyed immensely. I found myself striving to become better due to the rigor of her classes. When I would achieve an A, I knew that I really deserved it. I still find the time in my busy schedule to stop by her office whenever I get a chance to let her know what is going on in my life. I have been very fortunate to have Mrs. Ellis in my corner rooting for me.” - Brady Gross

Faye Ellis file: Years at UWL: 12 Teaches: I teach the laboratory component of Genetics, Anatomy, and Cell Biology. I also teach a graduate-level class for biology graduate teaching assistants to introduce them to common sense practices they can use in the laboratories they teach in. History: Before teaching at UWL, I was a graduate student at UWL. I loved being here so much that I decided to stay when I was offered a position after graduation. Favorite part of teaching: My favorite part of teaching is showing students how to incorporate active learning strategies into their study practices. I incorporate active learning into my teaching and demonstrate how to use what I do in class into study sessions.