The new Thomas F. Herman Award for Excellence in Pedagogy was presented recently to three faculty with decades of experience in University of Oregon classrooms.

The Herman Awards began in 1985 to honor distinguished teaching.  This year, the program expanded to recognize excellence in pedagogy for senior faculty members in specific areas of teaching.

“The new Herman awards, which recognize outstanding skill in particular pedagogical areas, are something we have wanted to make available for some time,” said Barbara Altmann, vice provost for academic affairs. “They showcase the faculty on the front lines, preparing our students to make a difference in the world.”

Suzanne Rowe from the School of Law received the award for expertise in legal writing and research.

For teacher training in special education, Cynthia Herr was recognized for 29 years of service as an instructor and trainer of special education teachers in the College of Education.  Additionally, Rosaria Murcia was recognized for her work in the second-year sequence of Spanish in the Romance Languages department.

Herr is widely respected among the legions of graduates working both in the classroom and in school district leadership roles throughout Oregon and the world.

One school district leader commented, “If I know that an applicant to our district is a graduate of Cindy Herr’s program, I will hire the person without reservation.”

Over the past 29 years she has taught an average of 10 courses per year. She has directed the “Preparing Autism Specialists for Schools” program for the past nine years. This pioneering program utilized federal grant funding to create and implement a training program for the broad range of educational professionals who interface with children with autism and their families.

Murcia has supervised and taught the second-year sequence in Spanish, the UO’s largest language program with approximately 700 students each term, since 1990.

“She makes everyone feel comfortable and encourages people to speak even when they make mistakes,” commented an undergraduate student. “She doesn’t make people feel embarrassed when they say something wrong and makes the class really entertaining. She’s a funny and excellent teacher. I’ve learned a lot this term thanks to her.”

In addition to her work with the second-year Spanish courses, she also is responsible for third-year courses such as Identidades Hispanas and the Intensive Grammar Review.

- by Julie Brown, Public Affairs Communications