The ARC Excellence Award recognizes instructional staff members who demonstrate exemplary service to ARC students and staff. These instructors go above and beyond what is required to make courses accessible, maintain professionalism while interacting with ARC students and ARC staff, exercise sensitivity to a diverse student population, integrate or apply universal design principles into instruction or service delivery, and more.

We invite you to take a look at the names of past awardees and to consider nominating one of your own instructors. We would love to honor their dedication to their work and their commitment to their students.

Nominations for the 2024-2025 are closed.


2025 ARC Excellence Award Recipients

  • Jamie Bertsch, Peck School of the Arts: “Professor Bertsch recognized my physical limitations and took proactive steps to ensure I had the resources and accommodations necessary to participate fully alongside my peers.”
  • Alecia Corbett, Helen Bader School of Social Welfare: “Professor Corbett ensured my accessibility needs were met from the start of the semester, collaborated with my ARC liaison during a medical emergency, and gave me the time to heal and return as ready.”
  • Dr. Lindsay Hieber, College of Letters & Science: “The accommodations and requirements Dr. Hieber took time to implement into my plan align with the severity of my symptoms, episodes, and my academic needs that all stem from [my] neurological disorder.”
  • Hanjoo Lee, College of Letters & Science: “He made sure I knew that we were partners in my learning, and he wanted to do everything he could to help me succeed in his class (as he had full faith that I could).”
  • Eric Lohman, College of Letters & Science: “Dr. Lohman’s commitment to accessibility and inclusivity in education sets a remarkable standard for fostering an equitable learning environment.”
  • Aaron Mandell, Lubar School of Business: “Dr. Mandell fosters an inclusive learning environment for all without making any students feel singled out or different. . . . I felt seen and respected.”
  • Sarah McDonald, College of Health Professions & Sciences: “She’s willing to adapt week-to-week, showing resiliency when her plan A doesn’t work.”
  • Julianna Miller, College of Letters & Science: “Julianna recognizes that education is not just about meeting deadlines but about fostering genuine understanding, especially for students facing unique challenges.”
  • Dr. Yaron Zoller, Lubar School of Business: “While waiting for approval for ARC Dr. Zoller allowed special accommodations as I worked with my physician and ARC to have my disability noted (recognized). He never made me feel embarrassed about requesting additional support.”

Past Award Recipients

2024 Award Recipients
  • Robert J. Beck, Political Science
  • Jill M. Budny, Honors House
  • Andy Cuneo, Communications
  • J. Dietenberger, Information Sciences
  • Michael R. Gonzales, Center for Latin American & Caribbean Studies
  • Eileen McEnroe Hankes, Architecture & Urban Planning
  • Dr. Adeola A. Solaru, School of Rehabilitation Services & Technology
  • Professor Tanya Tiffany, Art History
  • Jim Waples, School of Freshwater Sciences
  • Dr. Lia Wolock, Communications
  • Magaly Zeise, Department of Spanish & Portuguese
2023 Award Recipients
Ludmilla DementievaMathematical Sciences
Keith DookeranJoseph J Zilber College of Public Health
Shannon FreireAnthropology
Odai KhasawnehLubar College of Business
Allison LibbeySpanish & Portuguese
Julio LopezEnglish
Jill MeyersMathematical Sciences
Ann RaddantBiological Sciences
Candice RuhCommunication
2022 Award Recipients
Shahla AndersCollege of Health Sciences
Sonia BardyBiological Sciences
Rachel Bloom-PojarEnglish
Mary Louise Buley-MeissnerEnglish
Chi ChoCollege of Heath Sciences
Joshua DriscollAnthropology
Krista GrensavitchWomen’s and Gender Studies
Julie KaiserEnglish
Joseph KilroyCollege of General Studies
Matthew KnachelPhilosophy
Charlotte LettelierEnglish
Renee ReckelbergCollege of Health Sciences
Elizabeth RexPeck School of the Arts
Ermitte Saint-JacquesAfrican & African Diaspora Studies
Shinji TakahashiForeign Languages and Literature
2020/2021 Award Recipients
Instructor:Department:
Monna Arvinen-BarrowCollege of Health Sciences
Rachel BaumCollege of Letters & Science-Foreign Languages & Literatures
Kimberly BeckmannPeck School of the Arts
Lisa BergerHelen Bader School of Social Welfare
Marcus BrittonCollege of Letters & Science-Sociology
Lisa CottinghamDepartment of Communication Sciences & Disorders
Amy DeckerPeck School of the Arts
Royce EarnestSchool of Architecture and Urban Planning
Ronald GulottaCollege of General Studies-Social Sciences & Business, Sociology
Daniel HackbarthSchool of Letters & Science-Mathematical Sciences
Kerry HansenCollege of General Studies Student Affairs, TRIO Student Support Services
Jennifer Kahn-PettigrewHelen Bader School of Social Welfare
Amanda NealCollege of Letters & Science-Mathematical Studies
Mark NetzloffCollege of Letters & Science-English
Joseph O’HalloranCollege of Letters & Science-Physics
Dimitri TopitzesHelen Bader School of Social Welfare
2019 Award Recipients
Instructor:Department:
Rachel BaumCenter for Jewish Studies
Anne BondsCollege of Letters and Science
Christine CarlsonCollege of Letters and Science
Kyle EbersoleCollege of Health Sciences
Angel HesselSchool of Education
Gabriel Lopez JauregiSchool of Education
Jamie KovtunFinancial Aid
Molly UbbesenCollege of Letters and Science
Haley ZanglUniversity Housing
2018 Award Recipients
Instructor:Department:
Dylan BarthCenter for Excellence in Teaching and Learning
Kari DawsonUniversity Housing
Erma GreenCurriculum and Instruction
Amy MangrichCenter for Excellence in Teaching and Learning
2017 Award Recipients
Instructor:Department:
Matthew HoeppnerMathematical Sciences
Julie KailinSchool of Education
Heather OwenBiological Sciences
Lyndsay Jo SmanzInformation Studies
James TasseTheatre
2016 Award Recipients
Instructor:Department:
Lillian FolkHealth Informatics and Administration
Adam HudsonInformation Studies
Leah RineckMathematical Sciences
Sarah RuderUniversity Relations
Jeb WillenbringMathematical Sciences
2015 Award Recipients
Instructor:Department:
Paul LymanPhysics
Lindsay TimmermanCommunication
Beth TraylorLibrary
2014 Award Recipients
Instructor:Department:
Alan SchwabacherChemistry
Carol HirschmuglElectrical Engineer
Roger SmithOccupational Science
Gina SzabelwskiGeoscience
Robert WoodPhysics
2013 Award Recipients
Instructor:Department:
Raymond FlemingPsych
Lanlan HanChemistry/ Biochemistry
Nicole HeinenPASS
Gloria MillerBusiness Management
Jude RathburnBusiness
Jose TorresSocial Work
Krislyn WorldPSOA Dance
2012 Award Recipients
Instructor:Department:
Richard MontiFLL/ Latin
Ann WilliamsBusiness/ Marketing
Jeanne WagnerSocial Work
Margaret KippSOIS
Susan LimaPsych
Marion AngeloffARC
2011 Award Recipients
Instructor:Department:
Jonathan HanesResearch
Terrance NewellSOIS
Sueyon SeoArab & Asian
Jessica MerezPSOA
Mark MantyhSociology
2010 Award Recipients
Instructor:Department:
Jim BurmeisterAssistant Dean PSOA
Fred HelmstetterPsychology
Jenny WanasekTheatre
Janine KwapisPsychology
Goda MasriInternational Education
2009 Award Recipients
Instructor:Department:
Lauren WilliamsMathematical Sciences
Veronica LuncbackFLL/ German
Christine ConeleaPsychology
Gina Seegers- SzablewskiGeoscience
2008 Award Recipients
Instructor:Department:
Robert BalmerMathematical Engineering
Michael CoonEconomics
Magaly ZeiseSpanish & Portuguese
Kevin JahnkeUITS/Classroom Support
Paul Gunderson, Dave NowakUITS
2007 Award Recipients
Instructor:Department:
Michael HeroMathematical Science
Ryan LefeberSecretary of University
Kimberly CosierArt
Christopher SearsMathematics
David PateSocial Work
2006 Award Recipients
Instructor:Department:
Min ChenN/A
Richard MarcusFinance
Meredith ReitmanGeography
Deborah RenardEducational Psychology
2005 Award Recipients
Instructor:Department:
Charles KrausArt
Beverly BelferMusic
Gloria FreschlChemistry
Robyn RidleyPsychology
2004 Award Recipients
Instructor:Department:
James TasseTheatre
Katy MollerudDeans Office
LeeAnn GarrisonArt
Mary Randolph-FryePsychology
Catherine KayeEnglish as Second Language
Claudia BarretoBiological Science
2003 Award Recipients
Instructor:Department:
Jayson RockElectrical Engineering
Erika SanderHuman Movement Science
Kamil TachmisciogluEconomics
Ahmed MbaliaAfricology
2002 Award Recipients
Instructor:Department:
Linda KrauseArchitecture
Harold HikenMathematics
Michelle Harrell WashingtonLibrary
Judith Rozie-BattleSocial Work
Michael FountainFrench, Italian, Comp Lit
2001 Award Recipients
Instructor:Department:
Helena PyciorHistory
Joseph SmithAdministration
Richard BlauFilm
Lenard LevineElectrical Engineering
John BoatmanEthnic Program Studies
Michael MedoraInstructional Services
2000 Award Recipients
Instructor:Department:
Robert WoodPhysics
Kelly KohlmetzEng & Math Science
Sally LongBiological Science
Leslie Loomis VansenArt
1999 Award Recipients
Instructor:Department:
Corliss PhilabaumPSOA Theater
Theresa ValentinoArt
Renee GratzHealthcare
Brook Burnette-ZacherHistory