Texas A&M University Honors Academy
Texas A&M University | Division of Academic Affairs
Texas A&M University Honors Academy

What Faculty awards are available and how are they determined?

We recognize faculty contributions to our programming in a variety of ways.  The Wells Fargo award goes to the faculty member voted by the Honors students as being most invested in student success through teaching Honors courses, giving "Pasta and Professors" discussions, mentoring student projects, and/or offering exciting options through Honors course contracts.

The Director and Unterberger awardees are selected by staff. The Director's award recognizes faculty and staff who have made a significant contribution to the support of Honors Academy. The Unterberger award recognizes faculty and staff who have made long-term contributions to high-impact practices such as Honors, Undergraduate Research, Capstones, and Learning Communities.

The Teacher-Scholar awards are also selected by staff. These awards recognize faculty who demonstrate excellence in teaching and scholarship associated with Honors Academy.

Director's Award

The Director’s Award for Outstanding Service to Honors Programs was created in 2010 to recognize significant contribution to and support of the efforts of the Honors Program on campus.

Teacher/Scholar Award

In order to identify, celebrate, and encourage participation in Honors instruction by accomplished scholars, we annually present several Teacher/Scholar Awards. A central objective of Honors is to place students of exceptional promise under the tutelage of the most successful researchers and teachers at Texas A&M University. Scholars who are daily engaged in advancing the frontiers of knowledge in their fields often bring unparalleled excitement and innovation to the classroom.

Unterberger Award

In 2004, the Betty M. Unterberger Award for Outstanding Service to Honors Education was created and presented to Dr. Unterberger in recognition of her many years service and significant contribution to the growth and development of Honors education at Texas A&M. Subsequent recipients have been recognized based on their overall contribution to the advancement of high-impact education at Texas A&M. Dr. Betty Miller Unterberger, who retired from Texas A&M in 2004, was the first female full professor at Texas A&M. She was mentor to numerous graduate and undergraduate students and a great advocate for Honors education at Texas A&M. Dr. Unterberger was the recipient of a number of awards during her illustrious career, including the Teacher-Scholar Award from the University Honors Program in 1997.

Wells-Fargo Honors Faculty Mentor Award

The Wells Fargo Honors Faculty Mentor Award recognizes and rewards Honors faculty members whose dedication and commitment to excellence in education is truly outstanding. Providing opportunities for students to develop academic and professional relationships with the very best faculty is a key principle in honors education. Honors faculty members who win this award are those who distinguish themselves by extending the mentoring relationship beyond the confines of the classroom and meeting time. These faculty members encourage a spirit of inquiry in their students, are thoughtful teachers, and exhibit the strongest desire to train a new generation of thinkers and creators.