The 2008 winner of the W. Russell Smith Award for Teaching Excellence is Dr. Wayne Pitts of the Department of Criminology and Criminal Justice.

The W. Russell Smith Award, established in 1981, is the College’s highest honor for teaching excellence. The selection of a recipient is based primarily on nominations by seniors who are asked to nominate up to three of their professors who have taught for at least three years in the College.

What adds to the prestige of this award is the number of faculty members who are nominated by students. Of the more than 200 faculty members eligible for the award in 2007-2008, almost 90% received at least one nomination from a student, certainly a testimony to the high quality and broad impact of the teaching in our college.

The award consists of a plaque and a cash award of $500.