Prof. Knight receives Swanson teaching award

April 28, 2020

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Prof. Susan Knight runs the Mark Finley Gold Pen Award contest for beginning news writers every semester. Richard Elías, the late Pima County Supervisor chairman, allowed students to interview him for the contest in 2017.

 

Susan Knight, now a full professor of practice with the UA School of Journalism, is receiving the new Gerald J. Swanson Prize for Teaching Excellence in recognition of her exceptional skills as a teacher and mentor.

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Prof. Knight
Prof. Susan Knight

The award, which focuses on undergraduate teaching at the University of Arizona, comes with a check for $5,000. Knight will be honored at a ceremony in the fall.

“You have demonstrated a vivid, motivating and innovative teaching methodology with a strong learner-centered and constructivist approach,” Provost Liesl Folks wrote. “You have made an enormous impact in your students through your extraordinary pedagogical approach and cross-cutting, interdisciplinary inquiry.

“The committee highlighted your exceptional activities as an advisor. Your contributions are outstanding and worthy of recognition.”

The award was created through a gift from the Thomas R. Brown Foundation in honor of Gerald G. Swanson, a UA professor emeritus. Swanson's introductory economics course was legendary on campus for more than 40 years.