From left to right: Dr. Brian Evans, Benjamin Gully, Texas Exes President Richard Leshin, Associate Dean Gerald Speitel, Executive Vice President and Provost Steven Leslie.
Each year the Texas Exes give a voice to the students of The University of Texas at Austin and allow them to choose the best professors and teaching assistants on campus. This year, Electrical and Computer Engineering Professor Brian Evans and mechanical engineering graduate student and graduate instructor Benjamin Gully were among the 27 teachers selected to receive the Texas Exes Teaching Award.
The awards were presented Feb. 8 at the Etter-Harbin Alumni Center. Texas Exes President Richard Leshin and UT President William Powers Jr. spoke at the event.
“The Texas Exes are pleased to present the prestigious Texas Exes Teaching Awards, not only because the award recognizes top professors and teaching assistants on campus, but also because the recipients are chosen by students of this great University,” said Bill McCausland, interim executive director of the Texas Exes.
In nomination letters for Evans, students cited his increased office hour time, help in preparing for internship interviews and his willingness to contact former students with job opportunities as reasons why he should receive the prestigious award.
One student said, “I have never experienced such a capacity for effective teaching and a dedication to students that I can only describe as inspiring. Professor Evans has provided me with knowledge and opportunities that have resulted in increased personal confidence and hope for my future career.”
Gully was credited for single-handedly changing one student’s opinion on college.
“He made me feel less like a freshman getting drowned in schoolwork and taught me to analyze situations to make them less difficult. Through Benjamin’s class, I’ve learned more about engineering, and determined that this is what I want to do with the rest of my life.”
Honored professors receive a $1,000 award and graduate instructors receive $500 awards.
Since 1982, the Texas Exes have honored a faculty member and graduate instructor in each school and college who has had a positive influence on the educational experience of university students. After accepting nominations from the student body, a student committee from each school reviews the nominations and selects that school’s recipients.
Other professor honorees this year were: Francisco Gomes, Architecture; Herbert Miller, Business; Brad Love, Communication; Marilla Svinicki, Education; Andrew Dell’Antonio, Fine Arts; Elizabeth Catlos, Geosciences; Philip Doty, Information; Stanley Johanson, Law; Elizabeth Richmond-Garza, Liberal Arts; Uri Treisman, Natural Sciences; Carole Taxis, Nursing; Kenneth Lawson, Pharmacy; Pat Wong, Public Affairs; and Michele Rountree, Social Work.
Other graduate instructor honorees this year were: Samuel Dodd, Architecture; Kelly Kaufhold, Communication; Cassidy Browning, Fine Arts; Kenneth Befus, Geosciences; April Norris, Information; Kathryn Hutchinson, Law; Emilie Destruel, Liberal Arts; Mark Rothlisberger, Natural Sciences; Martin Donovan, Pharmacy; Beibei Zou, Public Affairs; and Joy Learman, Social Work.
