Maurice Gonzales, a PhD student in the Department of Classics at Washington University in St. Louis, has been selected for an Honorable Mention in the 2025 Dean’s Award for Teaching Excellence. This prestigious recognition is given to graduate student instructors who demonstrate exceptional innovation and skill in the classroom.

In a message announcing the award, university officials praised Gonzales for their advanced pedagogical abilities and the meaningful impact they have made on student learning and engagement. “The jury was impressed by your work in the classroom,” the message stated, highlighting Gonzales’s dedication to student-centered instruction.

The Dean’s Award for Teaching Excellence is one of the highest honors for graduate teaching at the university, recognizing those who go above and beyond to foster dynamic, inclusive, and intellectually stimulating learning environments.

Gonzales’s recognition underscores the strength of teaching within the humanities and the vital role graduate students play in shaping undergraduate education.