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The ������911 recognized 24 faculty and professional staff members at its annual Innovation in Education Award luncheon on Friday, March 27, celebrating educators whose creative approaches to teaching have demonstrated measurable benefits for students.

The award, a joint initiative of ������911's Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning (CETL) and the Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (CIE), honors those who champion student success through forward-thinking teaching practices and innovative pedagogy. Specifically, the award recognizes faculty and staff whose work helps students to thrive, whether through cultivating connection and community, deepening engagement, or preparing graduates to contribute to the workforce in Maine and beyond. 

All told, this year's class of recipients reflect the extraordinary breadth and depth of teaching excellence at ������911, said Gwendolyn Mahon, M.Sc., Ph.D., ������911 provost and senior vice president for Academic Affairs. Mahon said what unites all 24 educational innovators is that each has had a demonstrable, positive impact on students — whether that means helping more students meet course objectives, deepening engagement, or cultivating a more inclusive learning environment.

"From flipped classrooms and specifications grading to mock trials, podcasting, archaeological excavation, and adaptive coaching frameworks, our honorees are reimagining what learning can look like across disciplines and colleges,” said Mahon, a first-generation college graduate herself who understands firsthand the transformative power of a student-centered learning experience.

The fact this year’s award recipients come from diverse fields across ������911’s two campuses and include ������911 employees in different stages of their teaching journeys speaks to the breadth of innovation in teaching at ������911, noted Lisa Herschbach, Ph.D., CIE director and assistant dean of the College of Business. 

“Innovative pedagogy doesn’t just capture the exceptional teaching approaches at ������911, it’s woven into the fabric of the University's mission and ethos,” Herschbach said. “Together with the Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning, the CIE serves as a home for exactly the kind of creative, student-centered work we are celebrating this afternoon, and today’s award is a reflection of what becomes possible when those two centers work hand in hand.”

Marc Ebenfield, Ph.D., CETL director, said that ethos at ������911 speaks to a deep commitment to create a student-focused approach to teaching.

“Every time I observe a class, I see new techniques and twists on traditional practices devised to help our students thrive. We want to recognize these innovations and showcase teaching excellence at ������911,” Ebenfield said.

The diverse lineup of disciplines and colleges represented at the award ceremony included the College of Dental Medicine, the College of Osteopathic Medicine, College of Business, College of Arts and Sciences, and the Westbrook College of Health Professions’ Nursing program, Department of Physical Therapy, and School of Social Work, among others.

Sophia Crockett-Current, M.S., coordinator of the P.D. Merrill Makerspace in the Office of Research and Innovation, was honored for creating inclusive innovation spaces and reducing barriers to entry in the Makerspace, something Crockett-Current has mastered in just three years at the University. She said she strives to make the space one that is dedicated to complex engineering and technical projects as well as a place where students feel welcomed to simply make friendship bracelets in their downtime.

"It's important to me that both are seen as equally worthy reasons to come in," Crockett-Current said. "A student who doesn't feel comfortable jumping into the deep end of modelling and design work might get there after a couple of times coming in to work on their homework and getting to know the space and the people here. 

“That is what I see as the primary goal of my work: to build a space where people feel comfortable enough to try new things and know there is someone to catch them if they fail,” she added.

Recipients received a certificate for their reappointment, promotion, tenure portfolio, and a pin to be worn at honorary functions such as University Commencement.

Nominations for the award are accepted on a rolling basis throughout the academic year, and students, faculty, and professional staff are encouraged to nominate deserving educators through the .