MPA Walter D. Mink Outstanding Undergraduate Teacher Award

The 2023 Award Nomination period is now closed. 

The Minnesota Psychological Association (MPA) is seeking nominations for the Walter D. Mink Outstanding Undergraduate Teacher Award. This award recognizes a teacher who brings a special quality or commitment to undergraduate teaching in psychology. The award will be presented at the MPA Annual Convention.

CRITERIA: Nominations will be judged on the following criteria, although nominees will not be expected to have achieved recognition in all areas:

  • Outstanding performance as a classroom teacher. Examples might include student and colleague evaluations, teaching awards or other forms of prior recognition, and evidence of uniqueness that gives a special quality to teaching and enhances student learning.
  • Development of effective teaching methods, courses, and/or teaching materials. Examples might include effective use of new technology, the adoption of newer approaches to teaching/learning such as cooperative learning, and the development of innovative courses or curricula.
  • Demonstrated influence in interesting students in the field of psychology. Examples might include evidence of students presenting papers or posters at professional meetings or publishing articles with the teacher, actions by the teacher, both curricular and co-curricular, intended to increase student interest and involvement in psychology, excellence in advising, and recognition of psychology as a discipline which fosters diverse perspectives.
  • Promotion of professional identity as a teacher of psychology. Examples might include professional activity on or away from campus, including publication of articles on teaching, stimulation of student research, attendance at professional meetings or workshops relevant to the teaching of psychology, and effective mentoring of newer faculty.

Nomination Instructions

Nominations of an outstanding teacher of undergraduate psychology will be made by the chair of the psychology department or the institution’s president or chief academic officer. Nominees from any stage in their careers as faculty are welcome. Neither the nominee nor the nominator needs to be a member of MPA. A nomination packet should include:

  1. The educational history of the nominee including degrees, granting institutions, and years granted; nominee’s professional work history; professional and honorary organizations in which the nominee holds membership.
  2. No more than three letters from junior or senior psychology majors or (if the institution doesn’t have a psychology major) other juniors or seniors at the institution, or recent (within five years) graduates.
  3. A letter of no more than three pages from the nominator which addresses the above criteria.

Send the above requirements to [email protected].

Questions can be directed to Joan Ostrove at Macalester College ([email protected]).

All 2023 awards will be presented at the MPA Annual Conference on Thursday, April 27, 2023 .