Chancellor’s Award for Distinguished Achievement as a Creative Teacher and Scholar

The Chancellor’s Award for Distinguished Achievement as a Creative Teacher and Scholar recognizes the extraordinary creative teaching and high-quality research that occurs within the university’s academic disciplines.

2025 FINALISTS

	Danielle Brimo Director of the Davies School of Communication Sciences & Disorders and Professor Harris College of Nursing & Health Science
	Kayla Green Professor of Chemistry College of Science & Engineering
	John T. Harvey Hal Wright Professor of Economics AddRan College of Liberal Arts
	Andrew Ledbetter Chair and Professor of Communication Studies Schieffer College of Communication
	Karen Nelson M. J. Neeley Professor of Accounting Neeley School of Business
	Alan Shorter Professor and Associate Chair of the Department of Theatre College of Fine Arts
	Danielle Brimo Professor and Director of Davies School of Communication Sciences & Disorders Harris College of Nursing and Health Sciences:

 

No 2025 nominees from Brite Divinity School, Burnett School of Medicine, John V. Roach Honors College. One nominee from AddRan.

 

 

2024 Chancellor’s Award for Distinguished Achievement as a Creative Teacher and Scholar

Matt Chumchal
Professor of Biology and director of the Pre-Health Professions Institute
College of Science & Engineering

Dr. Chumchal consistently garners exceptional student teaching evaluations, and he engages dozens of undergraduate and graduate students as research apprentices. His research studies the interactions between ecological and human systems. Most of his work involves students, with 70% of his publications and more than 80% of presentations including at least one undergraduate and/or graduate coauthor. He has mentored 21 MS and PhD students and 30 undergraduate Honors students, as well as dozens of other undergraduate and high school research assistants. As director of the Pre-Health Professions Institute, he works with hundreds of students to apply to professional school. Under his leadership, the Institute has achieved the highest medical school acceptance rate since statistics were first recorded in 1992. Dr. Chumchal’s major innovation has been a focus on developing intrapersonal skills such as cultural humility, empathy, leadership, and teamwork, that allow students to excel.

2024 Finalists

• Martin Blessinger, Professor of Music Theory and Composition, College of Fine Arts
• Johny Garner, Professor of Communication Studies, Bob Schieffer College of Communication
• Blake Hestir, Professor of Philosophy, AddRan College of Liberal Arts
• Mark Houston, Professor and Eunice and James L. West Chair in Marketing, Associate Dean for Faculty and Research, Neeley School of Business
• Carol Howe, Paula R. and Ronald C. Parker Professor and Director of Nursing Research and Scholarship, Harris College of Nursing & Health Sciences
• Shelly Matthews, Professor of New Testament, Brite Divinity School
• No nominees from Burnett School of Medicine, John V. Roach Honors College. One nominee from AddRan.

 

2023 Chancellor’s Award for Distinguished Achievement as a Creative Teacher and Scholar

Paul Schrodt
Philip J. & Cheryl C. Burguières Professor in Communication Studies
Bob Schieffer College of Communication

Dr. Schrodt is a distinguished scholar in family and interpersonal communication, with research appearing in top academic journals as well as USA Today and The Wall Street Journal. He is committed to mentoring undergraduate and graduate students in the research process, and using his scholarship in the classroom to engage students in meaningful discussion to think critically about important issues, develop sound arguments, reflect on the validity of their arguments, and apply classroom material to real-world experiences. “The long list of students who name him as one of their favorite and most influential professors demonstrates the impact and innovative character of his teaching,” writes a colleague, who adds, “Dr. Schrodt powerfully embodies the warm, relationship-oriented culture that we want from teacher-scholars at TCU.” As Dr. Schrodt puts it himself: “I love to teach.”

2023 Finalists

• Michelle Bauml, Associate Professor and Clotilda Winter Professor of Education, College of Education
• Tyson Browning, Professor of Operations Management, Neeley School of Business
• Manochehr Dorraj, Professor of Political Science, AddRan College of Liberal Arts
• Ariel Feldman, Rosalyn and Manny Rosenthal Professor of Jewish Studies, Brite Divinity School
• Kayla Green, Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry, College of Science and Engineering
• Aesha John, Associate Professor of Social Work, Harris College of Nursing & Health Sciences 
• Carrie Leverenz, Professor of English, AddRan College of Liberal Arts
• No nominees from Burnett School of Medicine, John V. Roach Honors College. 

 

2022 Chancellor’s Award for Distinguished Achievement as a Creative Teacher and Scholar

Dan Williams
Honors Professor of Humanities and Director of the TCU Press
John V. Roach Honors College

Dr. Williams has impacted the lives of many students and shaped the university community in significant ways. He has taught at TCU for over 20 years in both the English Department and the John V. Roach Honors College. His impact extends beyond the classroom through his work at the TCU Press and multiple university committees, including Faculty Senate. Dr. Williams is a prolific writer who publishes in both academic and literary journals.  He has presented work at over 300 conferences in local, national, and international settings. He has helped with the publication of more than 200 TCU Press books since 2009.

2022 Finalists

• Christopher Aspaas, Associate Professor and Director of Choral Activities, College of Fine Arts
• Michael Faggella-Luby, Professor of Special Education and Director of the Alice Neeley Special Education Research and Service Institute, College of Education
• Ashley Franklin, Polly & Tex Rankin Endowed Professor of Nursing, Harris College of Nursing & Health Sciences
• Jeannine Gailey, Professor of Social Sciences, AddRan College of Liberal Arts
• Ann George, Professor of English, AddRan College of Liberal Arts
• Kayla Green, Professor of Chemistry, College of Science and Engineering
• In-Mu Haw, J. Vaughn and Evelyne H. Wilson Professor of Business and Professor of Accounting, Neeley School of Business
• Paul King, Professor of Communication Studies, Bob Schieffer College of Communication
• Francisco Lozado, Charles Fischer Catholic Professor of New Testament and Latinx Studies, Brite Divinity School