The Meredith Program is designed to recognize and reward outstanding teaching among faculty at Syracuse University. Established through a generous bequest from the estate of Dr. L. Douglas Meredith ’26, the program aims to promote a culture of teaching excellence and innovation across the University.
The program includes:
- Meredith Professorships: Meredith Professors are tenured faculty members who have demonstrated exceptional teaching excellence and have a strong record of scholarly or creative activity. They are appointed for a three-year term and are expected to engage in projects and activities that improve the teaching and learning environment for the wider university community.
- Meredith Professor Teaching Awards: These awards recognize teaching excellence among non-tenured faculty, including both tenure-track and part-time instructors, and seek to encourage collegial mentoring. The awards are given in two categories: Early Performance, for faculty in their first five years, and Continuing Excellence, for faculty with five or more years of teaching experience. The awards include funds for professional development.
- Meredith Professor Faculty Fellows: Through this program, full-time faculty members partner with the Center for Teaching and Learning Excellence (CTLE) and the Office of Academic Affairs to work on on specific pedagogical topics. Fellows are appointed for up to two years and receive salary support to reduce their teaching load, along with funds for professional development and programming.
Faculty members are nominated by their deans, department chairs or colleagues. The rigorous selection process involves a review committee comprised of past Meredith award recipients, other faculty and students. Nominations must include a portfolio of materials, including nomination letters, teaching statements and student letters of support, to help the committee assess the candidate’s teaching philosophy, innovations and impact on students.