UH-Hilo, HCC Faculty Honored For Excellence in Teaching

Several faculty members of the University of Hawaiʻi system recently received awards for their inspirational teaching, including three from UH-Hilo and Hawaiʻi Community College.

Among the awards, 15 faculty members from throughout the state were honored with the Regents’ Medal for Excellence in Teaching. The award recognizes faculty who exhibit an extraordinary level of subject mastery and scholarship, teaching effectiveness and creativity, and personal values beneficial to students.

Drew Kapp, an instructor of social sciences at Hawai‘i Community College, and Bryan Kim, chairman of the division of social sciences in the College of Arts and Sciences at UH-Hilo, were two of the recipients.

In addition, five UH teachers were recognized with the Frances Davis Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching, which honors dedication and demonstrated excellence as teachers of undergraduate students. The award was established as a memorial to the late Frances Davis, who taught mathematics at Leeward Community College and UH-Mānoa for 19 years.

This list of this year’s awardees included Tarisi Vunidilo, an assistant professor in anthropology, at UH-Hilo.

“Our world-class faculty are the heart of UH,” UH President David Lassner said in a press release. “Every day, they inspire our students as they model excellence in scholarship and engagement both inside and outside of the classroom to improve lives across our islands.”