The Manning Prize for Excellence in Teaching was established in 2015 by alumni Robert ’84 and Donna Manning ’85, ’91, and honors outstanding faculty members from each of the five campuses of the University of Massachusetts. This competitive prize is presented to faculty members who demonstrate excellence in teaching along with exemplary dedication to students and the campus community. This $10,000 award will be presented to one faculty member from each of the five campuses. 

Award winners will be celebrated by the UMass President's Office through a public recognition campaign where honorees' achievements will be amplified across UMass communication channels to share their impact with a wider audience, including alumni, donors, and partners.

Members of the UMass Lowell community are invited to nominate individuals whom they believe to be worthy of the Manning Prize for Excellence in Teaching award. Recommendations from students are strongly encouraged. 

Nomination Process

Nominators must send an email to: Manning_Award@uml.edu outlining in 100 – 200 words why the individual faculty member is worthy of the award. Faculty may self-nominate. Faculty nominated but not selected in prior years retain active consideration for three years from the date of their nomination without the need for re-nomination. Faculty are encouraged to submit a brief update of any recent accomplishments relevant to the evaluation criteria.

  • The deadline for nominations to be received is January 12, 2026.
  • Nominees will be notified on January 13, 2026 of their nomination.
  • Nominees will have until January 16, 2026 to accept the nomination by sending an acceptance email to: Manning_Award@uml.edu.

Selection Process

Complete candidate application materials must be emailed (in pdf format) to: Manning_Award@uml.edu by February 13, 2026.

Winner notification: shortly after nomination submission to the President's Office on March 12, 2026.

Criteria

The nominee must:

  • Be a current full-time faculty member at UMass Lowell who has achieved at least the rank of associate professor, associate teaching professor or associate clinical professor.
  • Demonstrate excellence in all three of the following areas:
    1. Teaching
    2. Dedication to students
    3. Dedication to the university community

The Selection Process

Complete candidate application materials must be emailed to: Manning_Award@uml.edu.

If a nominee wishes to submit an application for the Manning Award, they will be asked to submit a package with the following materials:

  • Cover letter that outlines their teaching philosophy, instructional approaches and active learning techniques and presents evidence of accomplishments in all of the following areas:
    • Excellence in teaching - include discussion of class size, number of students taught, and examples of effective instructional strategies that enhance learning and engagement across different course formats.
    • Exemplary dedication to students - Provide specific examples that illustrate meaningful relationships with students, such as mentoring, advising, or supporting students outside the classroom, and how these efforts contribute to student success and well-being.
    • Exemplary dedication to the UMass Lowell (UML) campus community - Highlight contributions to the broader teaching and learning community at UML, including participation in departmental, college, and/or university initiatives.
  • At least two but no more than three letters of support, no longer than one-page each, from colleagues or students/alumni who are not currently enrolled in their class, to include:
    • At least one student letter
    • At least one letter from a departmental colleague
  • Letters should provide detailed evidence of the nominees’:
    • Excellence in teaching
    • Exemplary dedication to students
    • Exemplary dedication to the UML campus community
  • Submit only one example from any given category.  These examples may include:
    • Course syllabus
    • Course/project assignment information
    • Slides from an in-class presentation

Past Winners:

  • 2025: Christa Hodapp, former Associate Teaching Professor of Philosophy
  • 2024: Phitsamay Uy, Associate Professor of School of Education
  • 2023: Stephanie Block, Associate Professor of Psychology
  • 2022: Khalilah Reddie, Associate Teaching Professor of Chemistry and Director of Medical Profession Administration Gap Initiative and Collaboration (Magic) Program
  • 2021: Stacy Szczesiul, Associate Dean of Online Education, Accreditation & Licensing
  • 2020: Keith Mitchell, Associate Professor of English
  • 2019: James Nehring, Faculty Chair and Professor, Leadership in Schooling
  • 2018: Deborah Finch, Associate Teaching Professor, Manning School of Business