2022 Teaching Excellence AwardTracey Sturgal鈥檚 guiding principles of 鈥渁ssume positive intent鈥� and 鈥渓ead with love鈥� are evident in all her interactions with students and colleagues. A member of the Department of Communication Studies since 2006, Sturgal has connected with students in small courses, large lectures and advanced capstones through assignments based on students鈥� lives and real-world applications.
鈥淗er creative approaches are intentionally designed to help students bring new lenses to the content,鈥� said Dr. Sarah Feldner, dean of the Diederich College of Communication. 鈥淚n many of her assignments, she draws attention to students鈥� habits and worldviews to allow them to question how this impacts their communication choices. Ultimately, her connection of content to students鈥� lives and experiences allows her to seamlessly blend theory and practice.鈥�
Sturgal leads the MIC Speakers Lab, one of the Diederich College of Communication鈥檚 signature initiatives. The MIC helps in all aspects of presentation development, from brainstorming ideas and organizing content to practicing effective delivery and creating visuals.
鈥淚鈥檓 grateful for my colleagues and students who always inspire me,鈥� Sturgal said. 鈥淚 value teamwork, hard work and kindness, and am lucky enough to work with colleagues in the Diederich College of Communication and university-wide who also value these tenets, helping me strive for excellence with each passing semester. Of course, I would not be where I am without students who bring these qualities to my classes each week. I educate from a position of trust and optimism with a keen focus on cura personalis and social justice in all of my courses. I鈥檓 grateful for my students who help push these crucial conversations forward no matter the subject matter.鈥�
