Epidemiology professor Kristin Anderson said she views many of her students as colleagues.
“They have much to teach me,” she said.
Anderson was one of eight University professors who received the Graduate and Professional Education Award on Monday night at the McNamara alumni center. The award recognizes noteworthy instruction, program development, and advising and mentoring, among other achievements.
Also Monday, five professors received the Horace T. Morse-University of Minnesota Alumni Association Award to acknowledge their contributions in undergraduate education.
Students and faculty members from each University campus nominate candidates, according to the awards ceremony publication.
A separate committee for each award then reviews the nominees. The committees include University Senate Educational Policy Committee members, previous award recipients and an alumni association representative.
Awards consist of a salary increase of $3,000 per year and a five-year gift of $1,500 to the recipient’s department for developmental use, the publication stated.
Nursing professor Cynthia Peden-McAlpine received a Graduate and Professional Education Award. Shawn Curley, chairman of the committee that reviews the nominees for the award, introduced her as being known for her exceptional interaction with students.
Peden-McAlpine said she enjoys posing provocative questions to her students.
“Learning is truly an exciting lifelong endeavor,” she said. “Every morning I wake up excited because of what I do and who I do it with.”
Political science professor Kathryn Sikkink also received a Graduate and Professional Education Award.
“I feel truly lucky to be a recipient of this award,” Sikkink said. “We work hard on our teaching and it’s very moving to have our teaching recognized.”
Sikkink said she was thankful for all of her students.
“I have learned so much from them,” she said. “They have challenged me.”
Ecology, evolution and behavior professor Claudia Neuhauser received the Horace T. Morse-University of Minnesota Alumni Association Award.
“We sometimes forget the reason we are here is because of students,” she said.
