These awards recognize that strong mentorship and academic leadership and coordination are essential components of strong graduate programs. With these awards, the Division of Graduate Studies hopes to reinforce and highlight practices that enhance the quality of graduate education at the University of Oregon.
Mark Eischeid
EXCELLENCE AWARD FOR DIRECTORS OF GRADUATE STUDIES
Associate Professor and Director of Graduate Studies, Department of Landscape Architecture
What does it mean for you to receive this award?
Knowing how much time and effort DGSs throughout the university put into serving students, faculty, and staff, I'm honored to be recognized.
What key aspects of your service would you like to highlight?
As the inaugural DGS for the department, I manage two different types of graduate programs. The Masters of Landscape Architecture (MLA) professional degree prepares students for professional practice in landscape architecture, while the Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) research-focused degree prepares students for academia and research-based practice in a wide variety of landscape studies. Each degree has distinct objectives, admissions procedures, advising practices, and curricula. As DGS, my primary goals have been to improve processes, reduce the service load on junior faculty, and clarify the curricula. In particular, and in collaboration with faculty colleagues, we have standardized and streamlined the application review process, instituted generational improvements to our MLA curriculum, and initiated the Oregon Sequence of studios (an innovative approach to studio teaching that explores one Oregon landscape across an entire academic year, allowing students ample time to study, design, and engage with communities around the state).
What resources, opportunities, or connections with colleagues helped you grow and change in your service career?
I have been fortunate to follow in the footsteps of prior MLA and PhD program directors who established clear student-supporting policies and practices, and I am very thankful that I have been able to call upon their experience and insight during my time as DGS.
Nicole Giuliani
EXCELLENCE AWARD FOR OUTSTANDING GRADUATE MENTORSHIP
Evergreen Associate Professor, College of Education
What does it mean for you to receive this award?
I am deeply grateful and honored to receive this award. I've sat for a long time reflecting on how to answer this question, and in the end it provides validation for the energy and effort I invest in my students through connected, supportive, respectful mentorship.
What key aspects of your teaching would you like to highlight?
I would like to highlight the reciprocal nature of my mentorship. I deeply respect my students and continue to learn as much from them as I teach. My goal is to empower students to achieve their own goals, and each student needs something different to get there. I suppose it's no accident that I study individual differences in my research, as I treat each student as an individual to be nurtured and supported.
What resources, opportunities, or connections with colleagues helped you grow and change in your teaching career?
Both formal and informal support have helped me grow in my career with regard to student mentorship. Formally, I have appreciated the Teaching Engagement Program's products and staff for resources and advice. Informally, I regularly talk with my colleagues about how to support our students, reframe problems, and help students flourish. I am so appreciative of my community!
Amy Boutell
EXCELLENCE AWARD FOR GRADUATE COORDINATOR
Associate Director, Graduate Affairs, School of Journalism & Communication
What does it mean for you to receive this award?
It’s meaningful that graduate students and faculty would make time to nominate me for this award, especially during the busiest time of the year. Students took time away from their dissertation proposals, funding and job applications, as well as their Graduate Employee (GE) responsibilities and much-needed downtime. Faculty have plenty of letters of support to write for students, alumni, and colleagues without adding more to their plate.
I’ll admit that I got a little teary-eyed when I read excerpts from the nomination letters. On a personal note, I grew up a mile from campus, rebelled from my parents by not attending the university in my backyard, and finally returned home to work at the UO in 2017. It’s delightful to have finally become a Duck.
What key aspects of your experiences supporting graduate students would you like to highlight?
I’m currently the only staff advisor for graduate students in our Eugene-based doctorate program in Communication and Media Studies as well as five master’s programs at both our Eugene and Portland campuses. Starting in Fall, I’ll also be advising students in our new online master’s in Immersive Communication and Media.
My role includes academic and career advising, scholarship and budget management, managing admissions for our Communication and Media Studies master’s and doctorate programs, and collaborating with faculty and associate deans to assign Teaching and Research Assistant positions to 55 Graduate Employees. I work closely with the SOJC’s Graduate Affairs Committee, the PhD Advisory Committee, and the co-presidents of the Journalism and Communication Graduate Student Association (JCGSA) and on all matters related to graduate education at our school.
It’s a particular joy to support international graduate students, who often face tremendous obstacles to join us. From the expense of English language proficiency exams and paying to have their transcripts translated, to the challenge of finding affordable housing without local references or a credit score, to visa restrictions that limit their opportunities to earn money. Not to mention the stress of leaving their communities, and often their families, to move several time zones away.
One of the highlights of my job is attending the dissertation and capstone project defenses of students I’ve worked with for a number of years, often since they were prospective students. It’s energizing to see our students and alumni get jobs, publish their work, and thrive as scholars, strategists, and storytellers.