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Educator Appreciation

TEACH Educator Appreciation (TEA) Program

Recognizing our educators’ hard work and dedication is critical to their continued efforts to enhance learning and the overall learning environment across the organization. Formally acknowledging our appreciation can help increase productivity, reduce stress, and improve the well-being of our educators. The TEACH Educator Appreciation (TEA) program was developed to allow peers and learners to send notes of appreciation and thanks to faculty members who have impacted their education, careers, and lives.

To submit a TEA message, simply fill out the online form linked below and include a brief message of appreciation (you can send the message anonymously or include your information). After submission, the TEA message will be reviewed, included in a formal letter from Dr. Shari Whicker (TEACH Director, OCPD Senior Director, and VTCSOM Assistant Dean of Faculty Development) and emailed to the educator.

Jennifer Bath, DNP, CNS 

Andrew Binks, PhD  

Andrew Blair, MD  

Helena Carvalho, PhD, MS 

Jennifer Cleveland, PharmD, BCPS, MBA

Kristin Eden, PhD, DVM 

Joanne Greenawald, MD  

Douglas Grider, MD  

Sarah Harendt, PhD  

Emily Holt Foerst, PhD 

Anita Kablinger, MD  

Damon Kuehl, MD  

Leslie LaConte, PhD  

Inna Massaro, DO  

John McNamara, MPA, MS, DC

Andrew Moore, MD  

Michael Nolan, PhD  

OluMide Ojeifo, MD  

Kristofer Rau, PhD  

Keri Stevenson, MD  

Serkan Toy, PhD, MEd 

TEACH Awards

Five unique awards have been created over the years to recognize the efforts of our educators and highlight their accomplishments. Winners are exceptional faculty who embody the principles of excellence in teaching, who go above and beyond in their teaching role, and who will have a long-term impact on your career and that of others. Nominations for these awards are submitted by health professions educators within Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine and Radford University Carilion.

Other Ways to Recognize Educators:

Below are several additional avenues for showing appreciation and expressing gratitude to our educators for their continued efforts and impact on our lives.

Learning Environment Advocacy Committee (LEAC): Exceptional Teachers

VTCSOM’s Learning Environment Advocacy Committee recognizes exceptional teacher each month. Thank you to these faculty for providing a great experience for our students. VTCSOM is interested in collecting your stories about faculty members, residents, nurses, or anyone else, who have impacted or influenced you in a significant way. Please tell us about what those teachers did that resulted in an exceptional educational experience and how it changed you.

Excellence in Teaching Award from the Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning at Virginia Tech

This award, presented by the Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning at Virginia Tech to approximately nine Virginia Tech faculty members each academic year, recognizes a faculty member’s effective, engaged, and dynamic approaches and achievements as an educator. View the most recent recipient of the Excellence in Teaching Award.