The UT Alumni Association’s Outstanding Teacher Award is one of the most treasured honors given to faculty, symbolizing excellence in the classroom.

2009 Alumni Outstanding Teacher Awards

Joe Carcello
Joe Carcello, the Ernst & Young Professor of Accounting and director of research for the Corporate Governance Center, was drawn to university work through his love for teaching. A leading national authority on corporate governance, financial reporting and auditing committees, he routinely comments on corporate America in the Wall Street Journal, the New York Times and the Washington Post, among others. Teaching graduate and undergraduate courses, Carcello takes pride in aligning courses to make sure they prepare students for accounting and business professions. He led a task force to more fully integrate the undergraduate curriculum, and he also designed a new required accounting course and revised a current auditing course. Whether through direct interaction with students or the time he spends to ensure we’re delivering the very best content, Carcello is an excellent example UT’s priority of teaching our students.

Colleen P. Gilrane
Colleen Gilrane is an associate professor of theory and practice in teacher education, is a teacher of teachers. She spends most of her time teaching people new and effective ways to teach children how to read and write. She empowers new teachers to make their own decisions about their approach by learning all they can about their students, about language and about literacy.  Gilrane is playing a key role in preparing the very best men and women to enter this incredible profession.

 

Don Hinton
Math professor Don Hinton’s approach to teaching involves a basic formula of preparation, knowledge and evaluation. Hinton notes the importance of students working through problems in the classroom so they can get comfortable giving oral presentations, asking questions and helping one another. He is dedicated to giving fair and well-constructed tests. He also is careful to add mutual respect into the equation. 

 

 

Mary Sowell
Mary Sowell, professor of nursing, admits she may be “old school” in her instructional approach. She still advocates that students take notes and integrate the detailed material from “hand to brain.” She offers anecdotal examples from her years serving on the hospital floor and through her teaching experiences. She models the most effective patient care, knowing that students learn first by seeing and then by doing. Her reach extends well beyond the hospital floor. “It is an incredible honor to serve as their mentor and life coach during these most formative years,” she says of her students. “I am always amazed at the complexity of their lives and the depth of character these students possess.”