Mary Rose Cottingham, a senior instructor in English, has earned a Campus Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching.
According to the Office of the Provost, which sponsors the awards, Cottingham was nominated because she has been transforming the lives of undergraduates at Illinois for over 20 years. She establishes a connection with each student by responding thoughtfully to their drafts and correcting mistakes but also identifying strengths and encouraging them to develop ever more precise and sophisticated formulations of their best ideas.
Cottingham, who has been described as the veritable backbone of the freshman writing program, was also awarded a College of LAS teaching award in February. She has guided more than 65 sections of the required RHET 105.
“It is clear that in all her dealings with students, whether in the classroom, in office hours, or in tutorials, Mary Rose builds relationships of trust and mutual respect that endure long after those students have moved on,” wrote a colleague.
Editor’s note: Portions of this story were originally published by the Illinois News Bureau and the College of LAS. To learn more, view the full list of campus teaching award winners and LAS teaching award winners.