Undergraduate Teaching Awards

UChicago honors instructors whose dedication in the classroom play a vital role in student success. Each spring, the College recognizes faculty members, instructors and TAs through four Undergraduate Teaching Awards. College students are encouraged to nominate instructors who inspire, challenge or make a meaningful difference in their academic experience. Students can nominate more than one instructor as relevant to the categories, and from courses taken in previous years. Awardees are announced in May of each year.

If you are a current College student, please review the award categories below, nominate your favorite instructor to the relevant award and email nominations to collegeteachingawards@uchicago.edu. Make sure to include:

• The name of your nominee(s).
• Information about your current year, the course – title, number, section number, and quarter in which you were enrolled in it.
• The award you would like your nominees to be considered for.
• A paragraph describing how your nominee(s) have contributed to your academic success.

The Quantrell Awards for Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching

The Quantrell Award is one of the nation’s oldest prizes for undergraduate teaching established in 1937 to honor scholar-teachers who inspire students to become more enlightened thinkers and effective citizens of their communities and of our nation. Based upon nominations from students, the Quantrell Award honors three to six long-term, full-time UChicago instructors who are tenured or tenure-track faculty, serve as Senior Lecturers, Lecturers, Instructional Professors, or Professors of the Practice in the Arts of any rank or title. The awards are presented at the College Diploma Ceremony in June. Read more about the Quantrell Awards and previous winners.

Glenn and Claire Swogger Award for Exemplary Classroom Teaching

The Glenn and Claire Swogger Award recognizes outstanding teachers who introduce our students to habits of scholarly thinking, inquiry and engagement through the College Core. The Swogger Award honors up to four teachers with College teaching appointments (excluding graduate student lecturers, who are eligible for the Wayne Booth Teaching Award and various divisional teaching prizes), who have made significant contributions to the College’s General Education programs in the previous academic year. The award is based upon nominations from students. Read more about the Glenn and Claire Swogger Award and previous winners.

The Wayne C. Booth: Graduate Student Prize in Undergraduate Teaching

The Booth Prize honors graduate students who have taught in a formal capacity in the College for at least two quarters. Up to four awards are given at the annual College Teaching Awards Reception. Read more about the Booth Prizes and previous winners.

The College Undergraduate Student Prize in Undergraduate Teaching

The College Undergraduate Student Prize was introduced in 2024 in acknowledgment of the great work of College students who serve as teaching assistants. The award honors up to five undergraduate TAs. Read more about the 2025 winners here.