The Society for the Teaching of Psychology (Division Two of APA) invites submissions for the Mentorship of Teachers Award. Consistent with our Mission Statement and the Statement on Addressing Systemic Racism and Inequity in STP (located in the STP Policies and Procedures Manual), we encourage submissions from colleagues who are from underrepresented groups and have diverse backgrounds and experiences and are members of STP.

The purpose of this award is to recognize various forms of mentoring of teachers, including sharing knowledge and expertise, providing support and encouragement, offering feedback on performance, helping to identify opportunities and resources, and serving as a professional role model. The mentorship award, which honors those who mentor teachers, is distinct from the Excellence in Teaching Awards, some of which recognize mentoring of student professional development. The award is not limited to mentoring teachers of psychology, but may include mentoring of teachers in other disciplines.

2024 Award Recipient

This year’s recipient of STP’s Mentorship of Teachers Award is Dr. Jordan Wagge, PhD, a Professor and Chair of Psychology at Avila University, in Kansas City, Missouri, where she teaches courses related to research methods, statistics, and cognitive psychology, with the occasional side quest to teach special topics courses such as Teaching of Psychology. Dr. Wagge also serves as the Executive Director for the Collaborative Replications and Education Project (CREP). CREP’s mission is to provide training, support, and professional growth opportunities for students and instructors completing replication projects while addressing the need for replications of highly cited effects in psychology. Her current research involves student replications mentored through CREP, studying the effectiveness of CREP as a learning tool, the practices and obstacles related to teaching open science in the curriculum, and documenting the ways in which scholarly works in the field discuss the relationship between body weight and health. Dr. Wagge lives in Kansas City with her two young kids, spouse, pets, and doesn’t have “hobbies” so much as a series of very strange hyperfixations. The most interesting thing about her is probably the way she is surrounded by the absolute best friends, family, and mentors, sort of how a hole is surrounded by a doughnut. Please join us in celebrating her accomplishments at the awards ceremony this October at STP’s Annual Conference on Teaching (ACT)!

Past Recipients

2023: Jessica Hartnett, Gannon University (PA)
2022: Richard L. Miller, Texas A&M University - Kingsville
2021: Melissa Beers, The Ohio State University
2020:  Judith Bryant, University of South Florida

Call for Applications

The awardee will receive either a monetary award of $1500 or up to $1500 in travel reimbursement for attending STP's Annual Conference on Teaching during the award year and a plaque.

Criteria

Awardee plays an exceptional role in using psychological expertise to mentor teachers that may include the following:

• The person provides exceptional mentorship to aid colleagues at any level who are developing their skills in teaching
• The person supports faculty at any stage of their careers (e.g., graduate student teachers, early-career faculty, mid-career faculty, and/or senior faculty) with their professional development as teachers
• The person provides valuable advice to teachers at any stage on preparing for tenure and promotion, supporting and collaborating with faculty on Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL), and/or any professional training/workshops for teachers

In summary, the award recipient is both a leader and role model for a broad range of teachers across career stages and/or disciplines.

The deadline for submissions is February 15 of the award year. Priority will be given to individuals who have not received the award in the past. STP reserves the right not to make an award if the STP Mentorship of Teachers Award Committee believes no submissions are qualified in a particular year. 

Please review the policies regarding STP awards and grant programs.

Materials to be submitted

• A two-page cover letter highlighting the contributions to various forms of mentorship
• A full CV
• Three letters of support, including at least one from a teacher who has benefited from the applicant’s mentorship
• A letter of support from the applicant’s supervisor (e.g., department chair, dean, program director, or provost)

All submission materials must elaborate on perspectives and values added through their mentorship, and letters of support need to complement the applicant’s contribution. 

Submit materials for the Mentorship of Teachers Award (requires login).

Contact

For more information, please contact the Chair of the Mentorship Award Committee Chelsea Robertson at mentor-award@teachpsych.org.