The University of Texas System Board of Regents has recognized exceptional UT educators who best exemplify excellence, innovation, and commitment to student success. The recipients include two members of the UT Permian Basin faculty.
Ms. Stephanie Fife and Dr. Jason Lagapa are among 27 faculty members from all 14 UT academic and health institutions who will be recognized during the Board of Regents meeting Aug. 14 in Austin. Each recipient will receive a certificate, a medallion, and $25,000 in appreciation of their impact on students and their institutions.
Ms. Fife is a lecturer in the Department of Psychology where she teaches undergraduate courses and serves as the advisor for Theta Eta, a sorority on campus, and a co-advisor for the Psychology Club.
“I am extremely honored to have received this award! I am still in shock. I put everything I have into connecting with my students and relaying the information from lectures in a fun and interesting manner. This award is acknowledgement for that hard work and validates that effort. I am thankful for my students who push me to be better at what I do, and must acknowledge their part in me receiving this honor,” said Fife.
Dr. Jason Lagapa is an associate professor of English and teaches courses in twentieth-century and twenty-first century American poetry, postmodern fiction, and border literature and theory. His book, Negative Theology and Utopian Thought in Contemporary American Poetry: Determined Negations (Palgrave MacMillan), was published in 2017. He is the recipient of a National Endowment for the Humanities Grant (2017). Dr. Lagapa also serves as the faculty advisor for Sandstorm, the literary magazine at UT Permian Basin.
“I am pleased and honored to receive the Regents' Outstanding Teaching Award,” said Lagapa. “My approach to teaching arises from a commitment to develop the intellectual abilities of students and to enhance their potential for creative and critical thought. I have a deep regard for the innate drive that students have to learn, and my teaching is continuously inspired by their determination to achieve their educational goals. “
“These educators are dedicated to continually looking for new and better ways to inspire students to learn and succeed,” Board of Regents Chairman Kevin Eltife said. “And they’re ensuring the next generation, whether they be teachers, scientists or health care providers, is armed with passion and knowledge. Their contributions are immeasurable.”
Since 2008, the Board of Regents has presented more than $20 million to over 700 UT educators. Nominees undergo a series of rigorous evaluations by students, peer faculty, and external reviewers. The review panels consider a range of activities and criteria in their evaluations of a candidate's teaching performance, including classroom expertise, curricula quality, innovative course development, and student learning outcomes.