Comparative Literature Senior Instructor Katy Brundan is the recipient of the Tykeson Teaching Award—a major university prize that recognizes overall excellence in teaching while also focusing on a particular aspect of pedagogy each year. This year’s award emphasized inclusive teaching. Dr. Brundan is a master of creating productive learning environments. Students regularly praise Dr. Brundan’s skills in leading students to recognize that their perceptions, ideas and voices are valuable to the shared project of thinking through the “big questions.”  As one student put it, in a signed course evaluation, “We were able to think whatever we felt about the book and then come together to understand a deeper meaning,” one student wrote. Another student summed up the view that appears again and again in Dr. Brundan’s course evaluation: “Professor Brundan, I am convinced, could teach a course about anything and it would be engaging and informative. Her incredible enthusiasm for the material makes it possible to work through incredibly dense or intimidating theory. Beyond her attitude, she has a knack for simplifying complex topics so that even those with little experience can grasp the meaning well enough to participate in class discussions.”

Congratulations, Dr, Brundan, on this important and well-deserved recognition!