Since 1988, up to 30 awards have been given annually to recognize graduate teaching assistants from a range of disciplines who excel in promoting learning, creativity, and intellectual discovery both inside and outside the classroom. The enthusiasm and commitment to student success demonstrated by these individuals highlights the crucial role teaching assistants play in the university’s teaching mission.

“Our teaching assistants are so important to the educational mission of the university,” says Kevin Kregel, executive vice president and provost. “The talent and dedication of these individuals cannot be overstated, and I am so grateful for their efforts to support teaching excellence at Iowa.”   

This year’s honorees are teaching assistants who taught for at least one semester during the spring, summer, or fall 2023. Nominations for the awards were gathered from undergraduate students, faculty, colleagues, departmental executive officers, and deans. Each recipient will receive a $1,000 award and will be presented with a certificate at a reception in May.

The 2023-24 Outstanding Teaching Assistant Award recipients are:

Munachim Amah
School of Journalism and Mass Communication
College of Liberal Arts and Sciences

Sydney Arlis
Department of Biology
College of Liberal Arts and Sciences

Arnold W. Bangel III
Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering
College of Engineering

Matthew Lee Barber
Department of Mathematics
College of Liberal Arts and Sciences

Sarah Barringer
Department of Rhetoric
College of Liberal Arts and Sciences

Jose David Beltran
Department of Mathematics
College of Liberal Arts and Sciences

Qiao Yang (Jamie) Chen
Department of English
College of Liberal Arts and Sciences

Mandy Dunphy
Department of Teaching and Learning
College of Education

Adriana Fernández Quero
Department of Mathematics
College of Liberal Arts and Sciences

Philip Griffin
Department of Physics and Astronomy
College of Liberal Arts and Sciences

Tyler C. Grover
Department of Physics and Astronomy
College of Liberal Arts and Sciences

Samuel Harper
Department of Political Science
College of Liberal Arts and Sciences

Spencer Jones
Department of Rhetoric 
College of Liberal Arts and Sciences

Maddison Kuncl
Department of History
College of Liberal Arts and Sciences

Sun Joo Lee
School of Music
College of Liberal Arts and Sciences

Asa Josiah Madison
Department of Sociology and Criminology
College of Liberal Arts and Sciences

Nathan Kilian Micatka
Department of Political Science
College of Liberal Arts and Sciences

Logan Moore
Department of Anthropology
College of Liberal Arts and Sciences

Grace Josephine Rose Morse
Department of English
College of Liberal Arts and Sciences

Mofiyinfoluwa (Fi) O.
Department of English
College of Liberal Arts and Sciences

Jack Rockwell
Department of Rhetoric 
College of Liberal Arts and Sciences

Kristen Ronning
School of Music
College of Liberal Arts and Sciences

Stephanie Schmitt
Department of Political Science
College of Liberal Arts and Sciences

Maria Slusarek
Department of Teaching and Learning
College of Education

Joey Small
Department of Mathematics
College of Liberal Arts and Sciences

Danielle Talbot
Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology
Carver College of Medicine

Jacob Van Grinsven
Department of Mathematics
College of Liberal Arts and Sciences

Alison Warren
Department of Teaching and Learning
College of Education

Corinne  Watts
Department of Anthropology
College of Liberal Arts and Sciences

Edward L. White
Department of Mathematics
College of Liberal Arts and Sciences