Established in honor of the parents of President Emeritus J. Earl Danieley and his wife, Verona Daniels Danieley, the award recognizes teachers and expresses the Elon communitys appreciation for the profession. It was first awarded in the 1972-1973 academic year.

Any faculty member or academic department may nominate a candidate, as well as any administrative staff member or senior member of The Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi or Omicron Delta Kappa, the National Leadership Honor Society.

The nominated faculty member typically does not know he or she was nominated until the award is revealed.

To nominate, the nominator must submit a letter of recommendation. It should discuss the creative, effective teaching methods the nominee has adopted throughout his or her career and explain how he or she efficiently executes these methods in everyday education.

Relaying critical information to the students in a manner they understand is the basic building block of teaching.

The nomination letter is evaluated by Dr. Mary Wise, assistant vice president of academic affairs, and her office.

All of the information gathering about [the nominee] is done by the person who nominated them or my office, Wise said. So this award is really a surprise when its announced at the luncheon.

The past six recipients are still teaching at Elon. The two most recent, in 2006, were Catherine King, associate professor of psychology, and Dave Powell, associate professor of computing sciences and business administration.

Usually, preference is given to candidates who have taught at Elon for seven or more years because of the awards emphasis on sustained professional excellence.

To decide who is awarded, a selection committee is assembled. Three senior faculty members, two previous Daniels-Danieley Award winners and two students are brought together to choose.

These individuals thoroughly evaluate the nomination materials and select a recipient through a confidential balloting system.

On May 9, at the annual Faculty/Staff Award Luncheon, the award will be presented. The winner will receive a certificate of recognition and a monetary award.

The Daniels-Danieley Award for Excellence in Teaching is one of several faculty awards offered each year. The Excellence in Service/Leadership Award recognizes a faculty member who richly contributes to the ongoing welfare and betterment of the College, the University and the profession, according to the College of Arts and Sciences. Last years winners were Donna Van Bodegraven, associate professor of Spanish, and Tom Mould, assistant professor of sociology.

Another faculty award, the Excellence in Scholarship Award, honors faculty members whose personal work has made a significant intellectual impact. Last years winner, Yoram Lubling, professor of philosophy, was recognized for his two articles, three book chapters, two book reviews and four presentations.

Letters of recommendation for the Daniels-Danieley Award will be accepted through March 30.

Nominations should be addressed to: Daniels-Danieley Award Committee, Campus Box 2187.