About the Award

Winners of the 2012 Distinguished Secondary Teacher Award with President Schapiro, Special Assistant to the President Eugene Lowe, and Commencement Speaker Paul Farmer.

Each year, Northwestern University recognizes outstanding high school teachers (secondary school teachers) at its Commencement ceremony. These teachers are selected through a process in which graduating seniors nominate teachers who have had transforming impact on students. Each teacher honored and his or her high school will receive an award of $2,500.

The Distinguished Secondary School Teacher Award is co-sponsored by the Associated Student Government and the office of the president. A selection committee chaired by Eugene Lowe, Assistant to the President and Senior Lecturer in Religious Studies, will review nominations and request teaching portfolios from nominated teachers for finalist consideration. The committee will recommend four outstanding teachers to President Schapiro for this recognition.

Award recipients are announced in April. Student nominators of the award winning teachers will also be recognized during commencement events.

To nominate a teacher, please use the teacher nomination form.  The deadline for nominations for the Distinguished Secondary Teacher Award is December 1 at 11:59pm CST.

Please e-mail DSTAwards@northwestern.edu with any questions about the Northwestern University Distinguished Secondary School Teacher Award.