WID Teaching Awards

The University Writing Program honors faculty members and graduate teaching assistants each year who have demonstrated excellence in teaching and planning Writing in the Disciplines (WID) courses.

In addition to faculty awards, the program also recognizes student achievements with the annual Julian Clement Chase Prize.

In the Spirit of Joseph P. Dymond

As of 2020, the University Writing Program renames its university-wide Writing in the Disciplines faculty teaching award to honor the memory of Joseph P. Dymond (February 9, 1965-January 18, 2019). Professor Dymond arrived at GW in 2002 and engaged hundreds of students over the years in critical writing and thinking in geography. Carrying his mission beyond the classroom, he helped the department launch YouthMappers, an international organization of students using open-source mapping to address humanitarian crises.

One of his former students attested that “Professor Dymond invested in me beyond my academic career. Every meeting began with questions about how I was doing, and I know that these answers mattered just as much to him as those that dealt with the progress of my research.” And when it came down to advising academic work, this student reflected that “conversations with Professor Dymond about a research topic were best described as adrenalizing. When I returned to my desk after such a discussion, I always felt like I was writing with Professor Dymond rather than writing for him.” His teaching earned him the 2006 Morton A. Bender Teaching Award for instructional excellence, the 2010 Service Excellence Student Choice Award, the 2012 Writing in the Disciplines Distinguished Teaching Award, and a 2013 appointment to the GW Academy of Distinguished Teachers.

And so, in memory of our friend and colleague, we present the Joseph P. Dymond Writing in the Disciplines Distinguished Teaching Award. May it honor WID teaching where students feel they are writing with us rather than for us. 

Award Categories

How to Apply or Nominate Others

Candidates for all three awards may self-nominate or be nominated by students, colleagues, chairs, or directors of graduate studies (as relevant). Nominees then assemble and submit their packets. Nominations are due in December, and full packets are due in early February. 

For the nomination form, deadlines, criteria, and submission details, see the Faculty Affairs page for the Writing in the Disciplines Teaching Awards.

Past Recipients

2022

• The Joseph P. Dymond WID Distinguished Teaching Award: Alexander van der Horst, Associate Professor, Department of Physics
• Distinguished Assignment Design Award: Alexa Alice Joubin, Professor, Department of English, Women's, Gender, and Sexuality Studies, Theatre, International Affairs, and East Asian Languages and Literatures
• Distinguished Graduate Student Teaching Award: Daniel Atherton, PhD Candidate, Department of English

2021

• The Joseph P. Dymond WID Distinguished Teaching Award: Shelley Brundage, Professor, Department of Speech, Language, & Hearing Sciences
• Distinguished Assignment Design Award: Melissa Keeley, Associate Professor, Department of Geography, Public Policy, & Public Administration
• Distinguished Graduate Student Teaching Award: Kelsie Pos, PhD Candidate, Department of Biological Sciences

2020

• The Joseph P. Dymond WID Distinguished Teaching Award: L. Patricia Hernandez, Professor, Department of Biological Sciences
• Distinguished Assignment Design Award: LaKeisha McClary, Assistant Professor, Department of Chemistry
• Distinguished Graduate Student Teaching Award: Joshua Sparks, PhD Candidate, Department of Statistics

2019

• Distinguished Teaching Award: Murray Snyder, professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering and international affairs
• Best Syllabus Design Award: Jocelyne Brant, assistant professor of French
• Distinguished Graduate Student Teaching Award: Joshua Benson, Department of English
• Video: 2019 Winners

2018

• Distinguished Teaching Award: Tyler Anbinder, Department of History
• Best Assignment Design Award: Kimberly Morgan, Department of Political Science
• Distinguished Graduate Student Teaching Award: Alyssa Poblete, Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences
• Video: 2018 Winners

2017

• Distinguished Teaching Award: Royce A. Francis, assistant professor of engineering management and systems engineering
• Best Assignment Design Award: Mary Buckley, director of the Elizabeth J. Sommers Women’s Leadership Program and associate professor of dance
• Distinguished Graduate Student Teaching Award: Alan Montroso, Department of English

2016

• Distinguished Teaching Award: Christopher Klemek, Department of History
• Best Assignment Design Award: Daniel DeWispelare, Department of English
• Distinguished Graduate Student Teaching Award: Victoria Barnett-Woods, Department of English

2015

• Distinguished Teaching Award: Kathryn Kleppinger, French and francophone studies; Department of Romance, German, and Slavic Languages
• Best Assignment Design Award: Oya Altinkilic, Department of Finance
• Distinguished Graduate Student Teaching Award: Dorothy Smith Ohl, Department of Political Science

2014

• Distinguished Teaching Award: Yongsheng Leng, Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering
• Best Assignment Design Award: Edward Cherian, School of Business

2013

• Distinguished Teaching Award: Jonathan Hsy, Department of English
• Best Assignment Design Award: Catherine Woytowicz, Elliott School of International Affairs
• Honorable Mention: Michele Clark, Elliott School of International Affairs

2012

• Distinguished Teaching Award: Joseph Dymond, Department of Geography
• Best Assignment Design Award: Shelley Brundage, Department of Speech, Language and Hearing Sciences
• Honorable Mention: Steve Balla, Department of Political Science

2011

• Distinguished Teaching Award: Lowell Abrams, Department of Mathematics
• Best Assignment Design Award: Rebecca Katz, Milken Institute School of Public Health