The UCR Graduate Division invites nominations for the Distinguished Teaching Awards from faculty, graduate peers, and undergraduate students wanting to honor a graduate student teacher who demonstrated effective, impactful, or innovative approaches to teaching in the classroom over the past year.

Started in 2014, the Distinguished Teaching Award (DTA) is a highly competitive award granted by the Graduate Division that recognizes exceptional teaching demonstrated by a graduate student as a Teaching Assistant or an Associate-In. Nominations for the Distinguished Teaching Award can be submitted by self-nomination, faculty, staff, fellow graduate students, or undergraduate students. Once nominations are submitted, nominated graduate students will be asked to submit a teaching portfolio. Teaching portfolios will be sent to an award selection committee to choose 2 award recipients—one from STEM departments and one from the CHASS, School of Education, School of Public Policy, and School of Medicine departments. DTA Award recipients are recognized during the annual Graduate Division Excellence in Teaching Banquet in the Spring term and receive a monetary prize. 

Self-nominations and portfolio submissions for the 2026 Distinguished Teaching Awards are now open! Students who received nominations for this award must submit their portfolios by 11:59 pm on Friday, April 17, 2026. Questions about the award and the portfolio should be directed to tadp@ucr.edu. 

Submit your DTA portfolio for consideration here.

More Information

• Eligibility

  Nominees must have been enrolled graduate students with a Teaching Assistant or Associate-In position during the Spring 2025, Fall 2025, and/or Winter 2026 Quarter(s). Summer term appointments are not eligible for consideration for this award. Nominees are still eligible for the award if they graduate in Fall 2025 or Winter 2026.

   

• Portfolio Submission Procedures

  Your teaching portfolio should include:

  • A letter written by the nominee that describes how you are a distinguished teacher, what practices you employ in the classroom, and what sets you apart from your graduate peers. (1-2 pages, single-spaced)

  • Teaching philosophy statement (1-2 pages, single-spaced)

  • Evidence of teaching effectiveness, some examples may include: 

    • a landscape of iEval scores (including an infographic of your scores) with reflection that includes where you have seen areas of improvement and growth and practices you are currently doing to engage areas of growth. 

    • an assignment you have written

    • an assessment you have written

    • a syllabus (i.e., an introductory syllabus in your field, an upper-level course in your specialty, and/or a theory and method syllabus)

    • a diversity statement that addresses your inclusive teaching practices

    • a list of 4-5 course descriptions for courses you would like to teach in your optimal department (include assessment strategies, texts for the course, and any other relevant information)

  For your reviewers' convenience, please also include a table of contents at the beginning of your portfolio with each relevant section attached.

  We will also include your iEval scores and comments from Spring 2025, Fall 2025, and Winter 2026 quarters in our evaluation of your portfolio. By submitting this portfolio, you grant us access to examine your scores for these specific quarters.

   

  Teaching portfolios must be submitted as one document (pdf) and are due Friday, April 17, 2026 at 11:59 pm through Jotform: https://form.jotform.com/260844868085066