College of Arts and Science recognizes outstanding teachers

By Chris Putnam

Two faculty members near the start of their careers are the recipients of College of Arts and Science awards for excellence in teaching.

Dr. Jan Gelech (PhD) of the Department of Psychology and Health Studies and Dr. Rachel Loewen Walker (PhD) of the Department of Political Studies and the Women’s and Gender Studies Program are the 2024-25 recipients of New Teacher Awards from the college. The awards recognize outstanding instructors in the College of Arts and Science who began their appointments less than 10 years ago.

Dr. Caroline Arbuckle (PhD) of St. Thomas More College was announced earlier this spring as the recipient of the 2024-25 Lesley Biggs Early Career Teaching Fellowship.

“College of Arts and Science teaching awards honour those who exemplify the highest standards of excellence in education. We are immensely proud of the achievements of these recipients, whose passion and dedication improve the lives of our students and who serve as a model of learning and growth for everyone in our college,” said Dr. Jennifer Lang (PhD), interim vice-dean academic for the College of Arts and Science.

Jan Gelech

New Teacher Award in BSc Programs

Many students have said that classes they took from Dr. Jan Gelech (PhD) were the reason they chose a path in psychology.

Gelech, a lecturer in the Department of Psychology and Health Studies, teaches hundreds of students each term in settings that range from large auditorium-style introductory courses to small upper-level honours seminars. No matter the size of the class, her students feel engaged, inspired and listened to.

“I strive to spark an interest in the discipline—to foster a sense of curiosity that will encourage students to continue engaging with psychological knowledge throughout their lives,” Gelech said.

Gelech gets students excited about classroom material by connecting psychological concepts to real-world events and everyday life. In a typical assignment, her students might serve on a mock research ethics board for dubious psychological experiments, meet with a therapy horse, or analyze the changing depictions of romantic love in hit music across the decades.

Gelech’s goal is to not only teach facts and concepts, but to create meaningful experiences that stay with her students. She hopes people leave her classes with a lifelong interest in psychology and useful tools they can employ in their personal, educational and professional lives.

The previous winner of a University of Saskatchewan Students’ Union (USSU) Teaching Excellence Award and a USask Provost’s Outstanding Graduate Student Teacher Award, Gelech has been praised by students for her passion for the material, her clarity as a lecturer and her willingness to go the extra mile.

Rachel Loewen Walker

New Teacher Award in BA, BMus or BFA Programs

Students in courses taught by Dr. Rachel Loewen Walker (PhD) don’t just learn about feminism, social justice and queer theory—they put their lessons into practice to build a better future.

A former executive director of OUTSaskatoon, Loewen Walker has extensive experience carrying out work and research with community and non-profit organizations. She draws on these experiences—along with academic literature, scientific studies and the arts—to create a vibrant interdisciplinary learning environment.

“I love the ability to bring a range of teaching and learning experiences together in service to our next generation of scholars and community leaders,” she said.

Loewen Walker creates contacts between her students and community organizations, and gives assignments that challenge students to enact real change by working in the community on activities such as social justice and advocacy campaigns, program evaluations, and legislative reform.

The Department of Political Studies faculty member—who also chairs the Women’s and Gender Studies Program (WGST)—believes in transformative and collaborative learning. She views the classroom as a site of liberation where boundary-crossing conversations are possible and students are empowered to co-create knowledge. She approaches teaching through a lens of truth-telling and humility, and incorporates diverse perspectives, including Indigenous content, into every class.

Loewen Walker’s students describe her as a fierce and compassionate educator who lives the anti-racist, anti-oppressive values she teaches. She is the previous winner of a USSU Teaching Excellence Award and a Planet S Saskatoon’s Best University Professor Award.

Related Articles