Four USask educators honoured with provincial teaching award
SASKATOON – Four educators from the University of Saskatchewan (USask) are being recognized with a Lieutenant Governor’s Post-Secondary Teaching Award for their commitment to student learning and success.
This is the first time since its inception in 2023 that all four categories have been awarded to USask faculty.
The 2024 winners are:
- Distinguished Teaching Award: Shannon Forrester, lecturer and USask Sustainability Faculty Fellow in the College of Kinesiology
- “This recognition inspires me to continue to strive for excellence in teaching and to empower students not only as learners, but as advocates for personal and societal health and well-being,” said Forrester.
- Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Teaching Award: Dr. Amrinderbir Singh (DDS), assistant professor and Director of Inclusive Community Outreach in the College of Dentistry
- “Winning is both an honour and a responsibility. It acknowledges the importance of fostering educational spaces where equity, diversity, and inclusion are not just principles, but practices that shape the learning experience,” said Singh.
- Indigenous Teaching Excellence Award: Dr. Colin Laroque (PhD), professor in the College of Agriculture and Bioresources
- “Being forced to swim against the current in teaching methods for what I believe in, has been difficult. By being recognized for what I have done in the past by the Lieutenant Governor’s Indigenous Teaching Excellence Award, helps me to keep going forward. Many times in my career, it would have been easier to turn and float downstream, but the stubborn pride instilled in me growing up has allowed me to continue to challenge a colonial system,” said Laroque.
- Innovative Teaching Award: Dr. Benjamin Hoy (PhD), associate professor in the College of Arts and Science
- "Awards like these reflect the success of groups, not individuals. I hope that the students and faculty who have collaborated with me to experiment with games, simulations, and interactive histories see this award as a recognition of their success reimagining what education can look like," said Hoy.
The Lieutenant Governor’s Post-Secondary Teaching Award annually recognizes educators from publicly funded post-secondary institutions in Saskatchewan who have displayed excellence in teaching and a commitment to delivering high-quality education, primarily at the undergraduate level. The award also supports post-secondary educators in the province as they compete for national teaching awards and national recognition.
Post-secondary faculty and staff members can nominate individuals from their own institution or from other eligible institutions for the award. This year, 13 nominations were received.
This year’s awards ceremony took place on Nov. 28, 2024, in Regina.
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For media inquiries, contact:
Victoria Dinh
USask Media Relations
306-966-5487
victoria.dinh@usask.ca