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About the University Teaching Awards

Northwestern offers three awards to recognize individual faculty members who consistently:
  • Demonstrate outstanding classroom teaching
  • Develop significant innovations that have influenced the methods and teaching effectiveness of other faculty
  • Demonstrate evidence of significant curricular enhancement to undergraduate education

Collectively, these awards celebrate excellence in undergraduate teaching and are known as the University Teaching Awards.

The 2024 University Teaching Awards nominations are due Friday, February 23.

Nomination and Selection Process

Charles Deering McCormick Professor of Teaching Excellence

Awarded: Annually
Award Term:

Award Amounts:

Each award provides total support in the amount of $33,000.

  • $7,000 to recipient (awarded annually as a salary supplement at the beginning of each year of the award term)
  • $3,000 for professional development (awarded annually at the beginning of each year of the award term to support the hiring of assistants, research expenses, attendance at professional meetings, and related activities)
  • $3,000 to the recipient's home department (a one-time award to support departmental activities that enhance undergraduate education, broadly construed)

Eligibility:

  • Nominees must be full-time tenured faculty.  
  • All nominees must have taught at Northwestern for at least five years, including the current year.

Charles Deering McCormick Distinguished Lecturer/Clinical Professor/Professor of Instruction

Awarded: Annually
Award Term:

Award Amounts:

Each award provides total support in the amount of $33,000.

  • $7,000 to recipient (awarded annually as a salary supplement at the beginning of each year of the award term)
  • $3,000 for professional development (awarded annually at the beginning of each year of the award term to support the hiring of assistants, research expenses, attendance at professional meetings, and related activities)
  • $3,000 to the recipient's home department (a one-time award to support departmental activities that enhance undergraduate education, broadly construed)

Eligibility:

  • Nominees must be full-time faculty members. 
  • Receipt is contingent upon the faculty member’s continued employment at Northwestern  for the full duration of the award term.
  • All nominees must have taught at Northwestern for at least five years, including the current year.

Alumnae of Northwestern Teaching Professor

Awarded: Every three years (new awardee will be chosen in 2026)
Award Term:

Award Amounts:

Each award provides total support in the amount of $33,000.

  • $7,000 to recipient (awarded annually as a salary supplement at the beginning of each year of the award term)
  • $3,000 for professional development (awarded annually at the beginning of each year of the award term to support the hiring of assistants, research expenses, attendance at professional meetings, and related activities)
  • $3,000 to the recipient's home department (a one-time award to support departmental activities that enhance undergraduate education, broadly construed)

Eligibility:

  • Nominees for the Alumnae of Northwestern Professorship must be full-time tenured faculty and must have taught at Northwestern for at least five years, including the current year.