Sherrerd Prizes for Distinguished Teaching
The Kathleen Compton Sherrerd ’54 and John J. F. Sherrerd Prize for Distinguished Teaching is given annually to Smith faculty members to recognize sustained and distinguished teaching by long-time faculty members as well as to encourage younger faculty members whose demonstrated enthusiasm and excellence influences students and colleagues.
About the Prize
The Kathleen Compton Sherrerd ’54 and John J.F. Sherrerd Prize for Distinguished Teaching was made possible by a grant to the college by Smith alumna Kathleen Compton Sherrerd, a 1954 graduate, and her husband, John J.F. Sherrerd.
Smith has long placed a high value on teaching and welcomes the establishment of the Sherrerd Prize as a visible symbol of its commitment and dedication to superior pedagogy. "Smith College has traditionally emphasized the importance of dynamic, diverse and interactive teaching in imparting the principles of the sciences and liberal arts to its high-achieving students," said President Carol T. Christ at the establishment of the prize. "The college considers the teaching of its students to be among its most essential objectives as a leading institution of women's education."
The Sherrerd Center for Teaching & Learning was founded in 2009 through a generous bequest from the Sherrerd family.
The 2023 Sherrerd Award Ceremony will be Thursday, October 12.
Requests for Nominations
Do you know a Smith faculty member whose teaching has had a significant impact on students? Smith students, faculty and alumnae are invited to nominate outstanding teachers for the Sherrerd Prize for Distinguished Teaching.
Please submit your nomination using one of the following methods:
- The online nomination form (Smith students, faculty and alumnae only)
- Send email to sherrerd@smith.edu
Guidelines for Sherrerd Award Nominations
The information presented in individual nominations is vital to the Sherrerd Award Committee’s selection process. Concrete examples of a teacher’s work inside and outside the classroom help guide the committee’s decision process. Specific examples are also important in nominations.
Recommenders are also encouraged to consider the following questions:
- What sets this person apart among teachers at Smith College?
- Is there anything unique or unusual about this instructor’s teaching style that heightened your learning?
- Are there specific examples of engagement with students you would like to highlight?
If you send a nomination email, please be sure to include:
- Your name
- Whether you are a Smith student, faculty member, or alumna
- The name of the teacher you are nominating
Recipients
2023
- Jay L. Garfield, Doris Silbert Professor in the Humanities and Professor of Philosophy
- Barbara Kellum, Professor of Art
- Erin Pineda, Phyllis Cohen Rappaport ’68 New Century Term Professor of Government
2022
- Jeffrey Ahlman, Associate Professor of History
- Samuel Ng, Assistant Professor of Africana Studies
- Candice Price, Associate Professor of Mathematics & Statistics
2021
- Maren Buck, Assistant Professor of Chemistry
- Gaby Immerman, Senior Laboratory Instructor in Biological Sciences
- Michelle Joffroy, Associate Professor of Spanish and Portuguese
2020
- Carrie Baker, Professor of the Study of Women and Gender
- James Lowenthal, Mary Elizabeth Moses Professor of Astronomy
- Denise McKahn, Associate Professor of Engineering
2019
- Randi Garcia, Assistant Professor of Psychology and of Statistical and Data Sciences
- Judith Keyler Mayer, Senior Lecturer in German Studies
- Kiki Smith ’71, Professor of Theatre
2018
- David Gorin, Associate Professor of Chemistry
- Suk Massey, Lecturer in East Asian Languages and Literatures
- Tina Wildhagen, Associate Professor of Sociology and Dean of the Sophomore Class
2017
- Mark Brandriss, Senior Lecturer in Geosciences
- Ginetta Candelario ’90, Professor of Sociology and Latin American and Latino/a Studies
- Laura A. Katz, Elsie Damon Simonds Professor of Biological Sciences
2016
- Payal Banerjee, Assistant Professor of Sociology
- Naomi J. Miller, Professor of English and the Study of Women and Gender
- Elizabeth Stordeur Pryor, Assistant Professor of History
2015
- Justina Gregory ’67, Sophia Smith Professor of Classical Languages and Literature
- Sara B. Pruss, Associate Professor of Geosciences
- Alan N. Rudnitsky, Professor of Education and Child Study
2014
- Rodger Blum, Professor of Dance
- Caroline Melly, Assistant Professor of Anthropology
- Mary Murphy, Senior Lecturer in Mathematics and Statistics
2013
- Andrea Hairston ’74, Louise Wolff Kahn 1931 Professor of Theatre and Afro-American Studies
- Susannah Howe, Director of the Design Clinic and Senior Lecturer in Engineering
- Douglas Patey, Sophia Smith Professor of English Language and Literature
2012
- Michael Barresi, Assistant Professor of Biological Sciences
- Floyd Cheung, Associate Professor of English Language and Literature
- Jennifer Guglielmo, Associate Professor of History
2011
- Leonard Berkman, Anne Hesseltine Hoyt Professor of Theatre
- Susan Van Dyne, Professor of the Study of Women and Gender
- Gregory White, Professor of Government
2010
- Nicholas Horton, Associate Professor of Mathematics and Statistics
- Róisín O’Sullivan, Associate Professor of Economics
- Michael Thurston, Professor of English Language and Literature
2009
- Kimberly Kono, Associate Professor of East Asian Languages and Literatures
- Beth Powell, Lecturer in Psychology
- Kate Queeney, Associate Professor of Chemistry
2008
- Randall Bartlett, Professor of Economics
- John B. Brady, Mary Elizabeth Moses Professor of Geology
- Patricia Marten DiBartolo ’89, Professor of Psychology
2007
- Mary Harrington, Tippit Professor in the Life Sciences
- Sabina Knight, Associate Professor of East Asian Languages and Literatures
- Borjana Mikic, Associate Professor of Engineering
- Kevin Quashie, Associate Professor of Afro-American Studies
2006 (Fall)
- Justin Cammy, Assistant Professor of Jewish Studies
- John Hellweg, Professor of Theater
- Samuel Intrator, Associate Professor of Education and Child Study
- Kevin Shea, Assistant Professor of Chemistry
2006 (Spring)
- Giovanna Bellesia, Professor of Italian Language and Literature
- H. Robert Burger, Achilles Professor of Geology
- Glenn Ellis, Associate Professor of Engineering
- Marguerite Harrison, Assistant Professor of Spanish and Portuguese
2005
- Patrick Coby, Professor of Government
- Susan Etheredge, Associate Professor of Education and Child Study
- Dana Leibsohn, Associate Professor of Art
- William Oram, Helen Means Professor of English Language and Literature
2004
- David Cohen, Professor of Mathematics
- Shizuka Hsieh, Assistant Professor of Chemistry
- Mahnaz Mahdavi, Associate Professor of Economics
- Vittoria Poletto, Senior Lecturer in Italian Language and Literature