The success of the Williams Council in inspiring new initiatives led to the creation of the Williams Fellows program. The Council seeks nominees who are excellent teachers and have demonstrated an extraordinary commitment to undergraduate education by challenging their students academically, creating an engaged and inclusive learning environment, investing in their own professional development, striving to improve the learning process through innovation and fostering collaboration. While the Distinguished Teaching Awards celebrate teaching excellence at the level of the course, the Williams Fellowship specifically celebrates excellent teachers who generate innovations and collaborate outside the boundaries of their courses.
A $5,000 award to the recipient acknowledges their outstanding contribution to undergraduate learning at the University of Oregon. In accordance with the goals of the Williams Council, a separate $5,000 award to the recipient's department, supervised by the recipient, shall be used to affect tangibly the teaching and learning experience of undergraduates in the department.
Nominations
If you wish to nominate someone for a Williams Fellow award please complete the nomination form as well as email two supporting letters and the nominee’s CV to OtP@uoregon.edu with the subject line: Williams Fellow Nomination.
Nominees' necessary involvement in this process is a change from previous years: Nominees now will have the pleasure of knowing you’ve nominated them and be able to speak to some core aspects of their teaching that they know best. Thus, there are always at least three voices—the nominee’s and two letter writers’—that comprise a nomination. Supporting letters should specifically address the nominee’s pedagogical or curricular innovations and/or their collaborations across courses, departments or disciplines.
If the nomination is for a pair of collaborators, they can answer the teaching questions together.
The Williams Council will evaluate the nominations using criteria aligned with the description above. If you have questions, send them to otp@uoregon.edu. Nominations are due February 17, 2025.