Teaching and Tutoring Excellence Awards: School for Cross-faculty Studies Success!
We are extremely proud of Dr Bryan Brazeau (Liberal Arts) and Dr Gioia Panzarella (Global Sustainable Development) for winning the 2022 Warwick Awards for Personal Tutoring Excellence (WAPTE)! The WAPTE Team received more nominations than ever before this year from both students and staff, so it is a real testament to their commitments to personal tutoring to be acknowledged at this level. Find out about this year's WAPTE winners.
During the 18 July 2022 Degree Congregation, Professor Stéphanie Panichelli-Batalla, Head of the School for Cross-faculty Studies, had the opportunity to formally recognise Bryan and Gioia for their achievements, as they were handed their WAPTE awards from Vice-Chancellor, Stuart Croft. This was a wonderful moment, with a standing ovation from graduates of the School for Cross-faculty Studies!
Above, left to right: Professor Stéphanie Panichelli-Batalla speaking at Degree Congregation, Dr Bryan Brazeau receiving his WAPTE award from Stuart Croft, and Dr Gioia Panzarella receiving her WAPTE award from Stuart Croft.
Dr Will Rupp (Liberal Arts) was also recognised in the shortlist for the Warwick Awards for Teaching Excellence (WATE), specifically for the dedicated Faculty of Arts Award.
“The WATE and WAPTE awards recognise the hard work of our colleagues to support our students throughout their academic degree. As a Head of School, it is extremely rewarding to have three colleagues shortlisted for these awards, and two of them winning the WAPTE award (two awards out of the three for the whole university!). In our School, we have extremely dedicated colleagues, who go above and beyond as academics and personal tutors to give the best experience possible to our students during their journey with us. I am very proud of my colleagues, and in particular of Bryan and Gioia this year, for winning this award. Congratulations again to both of them!.”
Professor Stéphanie Panichelli-Batalla,
Head of the School for Cross-faculty Studies
Hear from Bryan, Gioia, and Will:
"As a personal tutor, I am committed to enhancing the student learning experience by inspiring intellectual, personal, and professional development. As a WAPTE Winner, I am eager to share my practice and approach to personal tutoring via workshops on fostering a growth mindset, creating multimedia support/signposting resources, and developing an inclusive personal tutoring practice."
Dr Bryan Brazeau, Associate Professor in Liberal Arts
Gioia describes her main objective as a personal tutor "to empower my students to accomplish their academic objectives, as well as their wider plans beyond university". Her commitment to encouraging students to work towards independence, building on their existing skillsets has led her to undertake a one-year part-time postgraduate certificate in Coaching, to enable her to develop materials and resources to share elements of coaching with colleagues and students.
Dr Gioia Panzarella, Senior Teaching Fellow in Global Sustainable Development
"Being shortlisted for WATE means a great deal. Becoming an educator that students and colleagues want to recognise in this way was a long journey for me. I’ve benefitted from the support and mentorship of great teachers at several institutions. Since joining Liberal Arts in 2021, our team’s focus on providing outstanding learning environments for our students has been a source of constant inspiration (and admiration). I am grateful to everyone who nominated me and look forward to using the energy this has given me in developing my practice further."
Dr Will Rupp, Teaching Fellow in Liberal Arts
What are the Warwick Awards for Personal Tutoring Excellence Awards?
These awards recognise and reward those who have enhanced the student learning experience and championed personal tutoring in their departments.
What are the Warwick Awards for Teaching Excellence?
These awards allow members of the Warwick community to recognise a member of staff who’s made a difference in learning and teaching.