About the Award

The Distinguished Teaching Award was established in 1995 and recognizes a University of Washington Tacoma faculty member. Recipients are chosen based on a variety of criteria including reflective teaching practice, commitment to inclusive teaching and mentoring, dedication to creating transformative learning experiences, and service as a mentor, collaborator, and consultant. 

2026 Recipient

Jill Purdy, Ph.D. 


Professor, Milgard School of Business

Dr. Jill Purdy's teaching excellence has a significant impact on both students and the teaching culture at UW Tacoma. Across 30+ years of teaching, Dr. Purdy’s commitment to excellence and inclusiveness shine through: she creates a welcoming classroom atmosphere that is conducive to respectful engagement on complex topics, reduces cost barriers by developing her own materials, and builds bridges across disciplines through campus‑wide entrepreneurship workshops that connect students across schools and programs. Her courses emphasize real‑world learning through community‑engaged consulting projects with local organizations and current‑event case analyses that foster critical inquiry and transferable professional skills. Dr. Purdy also provides substantial service as a mentor on teaching matters, coordinating curriculum discussions, advising colleagues, and collaborating across units and institutions.

2025-2026 Committee

  • Martine De Cock, Professor and Committee Chair, School of Engineering & Technology
  • Michelle Garner, Associate Professor, School of Social Work & Criminal Justice
  • Abel Hernandez, Assistant Teaching Professor, Milgard School of Business  
  • Jeong-Ah Lee, Assistant Teaching Professor, School of Interdisciplinary Arts & Sciences
  • Erik McDonald, Associate Teaching Professor, School of Interdisciplinary Arts & Sciences
  • José Rios, Associate Professor, School of Education 

Past Recipients

  • 2025 - Martine De Cock, Professor, School of Engineering & Technology 
  • 2024 - Emma Rose, Associate Professor, School of Interdisciplinary Arts & Sciences
  • 2023 - Ellen Bayer, Associate Professor, School of Interdisciplinary Arts & Sciences
  • 2022 - Claudia Sellmaier, Assistant Professor, School of Social Work & Criminal Justice
  • 2021 - Weichao Yuwen, Assistant Professor, School of Nursing & Healthcare Leadership
  • 2020 - Tanya Grace Velasquez, Associate Teaching Professor, School of Interdisciplinary Arts & Sciences
  • 2019 - Anaid Yerena, Assistant Professor, Urban Studies
  • 2018 – Danica Sterud Miller, Assistant Professor, School of Interdisciplinary Arts & Sciences
  • 2017 - Divya McMillin, Professor, School of Interdisciplinary Arts & Sciences
  • 2016 - Yan Bai, Associate Professor, Institute of Technology
  • 2015 - Ellen Moore, Lecturer, School of Interdisciplinary Arts and Sciences
    • Video "The Good, The Bad, and the Ugly of Teaching: Engagement, Advocacy, Activism, Critical Pedagogy (and Teachable Moments)"
  • 2014 - Donald Chinn, Associate Professor, Institute of Technology
    • ​​Video (Keating, Kingsfield, and Watson: Reflections on the Fiction and Reality of Teaching)
  • 2013 - Carolyn West, Associate Professor, IAS
  • 2012 - Christine Stevens, Associate Professor, Nursing
  • 2011 - Matthew Weinstein, Professor, Education
  • 2010 - Mark Pendras, Assistant Professor, Urban Studies
  • 2009 - Janice Laakso, Associate Professor, Social Work
  • 2008 - Richard Knuth, Assistant Professor, Education
  • 2007 - Kent Nelson, Senior Lecturer, Milgard School of Business
  • 2006 - Cheryl Greengrove, Associate Professor, IAS
  • 2005 - Mike Allen, Professor, IAS
  • 2004 - Beth Kalikoff, Assistant Professor, IAS
  • 2003 - Ruth Rea, Assistant Professor, Nursing
  • 2002 - John Peterson, Senior Lecturer, IAS
  • 2001 - Jose Rios, Assistant Professor, Education
  • 2000 - Julie Nicoletta, Associate Professor, IAS
  • 1999 - Linda McElvey, Assistant Professor, Business Administration
  • 1998 - June Lowenberg, Associate Professor, Nursing
  • 1997 - Janet Primomo, Associate Professor, Nursing
  • 1996 - Rob Crawford, Professor, IAS
  • 1995 - Mike Kalton, Professor, IAS