Gen Ed Teaching Award Winners 2020-2021

Beth Fowler

Senior Lecturer, Honors College

The General Education Oversight Committee recognizes Beth Fowler, Senior Lecturer in the Honors College for her commitment to teaching excellence in the General Education Program.  In her seminars on popular culture and protest and through introductory Honors and Political Science courses, Beth uses evidence-based teaching practices to support student success, helping students apply newfound knowledge to their lives outside of the classroom.  Students explore their own communities in ways that help them better understand both the city of Detroit and themselves.  These kinds of transformational experiences stay with students throughout their time at Wayne State and beyond, providing a truly foundational educational experience.  That commitment to thoughtful and committed teaching is also reflected in Beth's commitment to collaboration with her colleagues through professional development, curricular development, and program assessment.

Adrienne Jankens

Assistant Professor, Department of English (CLAS)

The General Education Oversight Committee recognizes Adrienne Jankens, Assistant Professor in the Department of English, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, for her commitment to teaching excellence in the General Education Program.  In her introductory and intermediate composition courses, Adrienne encourages student collaboration through multimodal writing projects.  These projects not only help students develop individual writing skills, but they also help students cultivate community and curiosity as researchers.  Through scaffolded assignments, thoughtful engagement with program assessment, commitment to antiracist pedagogies, and tools like learning communities and Early Academic Assessment, Adrienne cultivates a learning environment where students feel supported by both their instructors and their classmates.  These courses help students develop skills that are foundational to their success at Wayne State and beyond.

Richard Pineau

Senior Lecturer, Department of Mathematics (CLAS)

The General Education Oversight Committee recognizes Richard Pineau, Senior Lecturer in the Department of Mathematics, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, for his commitment to teaching excellence in the General Education Program.  Richard teaches a range of General Education courses, from introductory Math courses to Calculus and Statistics, which help students develop quantitative experience.  Recently Richard has also become an instructor for the First Year Seminar, helping new students understand how to get the most out of their Wayne Experience.  In all of his courses, Richard demonstrates an extraordinary commitment to student success, embracing evidence-based teaching practices, encouraging student feedback, developing responsive pedagogies, and creating accessible, inclusive classrooms that make it possible for all students to thrive.  Richard shares his knowledge and commitment to student success with his colleagues in the Math Department, in the Academy of Teachers, and in university-wide student success initiatives.