Celebrate Teaching Week highlights UTSA’s commitment to student success

FEBRUARY 21, 2025 — This week, UTSA celebrated teaching excellence and innovation during the third annual Celebrate Teaching Week, hosted by the Academy of Distinguished Teaching Scholars (ADTS) in collaboration with partners across Academic Affairs.

The week’s highlights included a student panel on transformative teaching practices, a teaching showcase and several other events recognizing UTSA’s commitment to teaching excellence.

“Faculty dedication and innovation are key elements of UTSA’s student-centered culture,” said Heather Shipley, UTSA provost and executive vice president for academic affairs. “Celebrate Teaching Week recognizes their pivotal role in student success, while providing an opportunity to explore new approaches to teaching, exchange ideas and reinforce our shared commitment to excellence in education.”

UTSA’s dedication to teaching excellence has earned recognition at the state and national levels, with faculty and programs consistently honored for their contributions to student learning. The university is home to four recipients of the prestigious Piper Professor Teaching Award and nearly 40 recipients of the UT System Regents’ Outstanding Teaching Award. Additionally, the university recognizes exceptional faculty each year for teaching excellence and core curriculum teaching.

Driven by UTSA Academic Innovation, the university fosters a dynamic culture of faculty development, empowering instructors to enhance their teaching and support student success. On average, 40-60% of UTSA faculty engage in professional development opportunities, compared to the national average of 25-30%. Academic Innovation helps faculty connect with nationally recognized certifications and microcredential courses through the Association of College and University Educators (ACUE). More than 100 instructors across all colleges have earned ACUE Teaching Fellow certification and actively apply evidence-based teaching practices to promote student success.

Additional faculty development opportunities include workshops and faculty learning communities, like the Faculty Champions, GenerativeAI Peer Learning Network and the Civil Discourse Faculty Learning Community, all of which contribute to a more engaging and effective learning environment. Faculty-driven experiential learning initiatives — such as community-based projects and hands-on research — further bridge classroom knowledge with real-world applications, preparing students for success in today’s workforce.

Throughout the week, faculty had opportunities to share experiences, explore new strategies, and engage in conversations about effective teaching practices. Celebrate Teaching Week serves as a reminder that teaching excellence is a shared value at UTSA — one that continues to transform lives and empower the next generation of leaders.

The UTSA Academy of Distinguished Teaching Scholars provides institutional leadership in advancing teaching excellence across the university. Established in 2012, the ADTS recognizes outstanding faculty who have received prestigious honors such as the UT System Regents' Outstanding Teaching Award or the Piper Professor Teaching Award. Members serve as long-term advocates for innovative and effective instruction, mentoring faculty, hosting forums on teaching strategies and student engagement, and advising the provost on matters related to teaching and learning across the university.

— KC Gonzalez