Announcing the Recipients of the 2024 West Coast Teaching Excellence Awards

The British Columbia Teaching and Learning Council (BCTLC) is pleased to announce the recipients of the 2024 West Coast Teaching Excellence Awards. This year’s recipients are Saskia Stinson, Thompson Rivers University, and Will Valley, University of British Columbia.

Saskia Stinson is recognized for her clear passion for supporting learners and her strong commitment to student success. The award adjudication committee felt that the experiential project at the heart of her teaching and learning design distinguished her from other candidates.

“The committee would like to acknowledge the outstanding community relationships Saskia has developed to support students, including collaborations with Indigenous Elders. Her commitment to decolonization and equity for students is truly inspirational.” – Janine Hirtz and Maxwell Stevenson, co-chairs of the award adjudication committee, BCTLC

Will Valley is recognized for his commitment to fostering an inclusive and decolonized learning environment. The committee noted his passion for curriculum development and student learning and that his students receive a clear message he genuinely cares about their growth and academic success.

“The committee was impressed by Will’s ability to manage a course load exceeding 50%, all while serving as the associate dean for his faculty. His dedication to both teaching and leadership is commendable.” – Janine Hirtz and Maxwell Stevenson, co-chairs of the award adjudication committee, BCTLC

This is the third year these awards are granted, celebrating excellence in teaching in the publicly-funded colleges, institutes, and universities in British Columbia and the Yukon. Educators were nominated by leaders from their universities. Each institution had the opportunity to nominate up to two candidates.

“As members of the adjudication committee, we have the privilege of evaluating exceptional nomination packages, and are also faced with the challenging responsibility of identifying educators who truly embody teaching excellence and distinguish themselves through their teaching practices,” says Janine Hirtz, co-chair of the award adjudication committee at BCTLC, “Congratulations to this year’s award recipients!”

The BCTLC is a community of leaders from the public post-secondary institutions in B.C. and the Yukon. Its mission is to provide leadership on issues of teaching, learning technologies, scholarly practice, student learning, and more, to facilitate high-quality teaching and learning cultures in the region.