Thanking teachers

Thank a teacher photo collage

A Spotlight on Teacher Appreciation

Over the last 14 years, the Center for Teaching and Learning has collected thousands of thank you notes in its annual Thank-a-Teacher program. This initiative is a way for students to express how much a teacher has meant to them and recognize how their teachers went above and beyond to make learning a wonderful experience.

Receiving one of these notes can also inspire teachers and show how they are making a difference. A note could brighten a teacher’s day or year.

In 2022, the Center for Teaching and Learning received and processed 1,186 Thank-a-Teacher notes. During the spring and summer semesters, 541 UGA educators received notes, and 477 educators received thank you notes in the fall.

Here’s a sample of the teachers thanked and what students shared:


Keith Herndon

William S. Morris Chair in News Strategy and Management; Executive Director, James M. Cox Jr. Institute and Professor of Practice in Journalism, Grady College of Journalism & Mass Communication

Course: JOUR 3030: Media, News, And Consumers (Fall 2022)

“I wanted to take the time to thank you for being the inspiring professor you are to your students. All too often, college classes can get stressful and even a burden to attend sometimes, but never your class. Your class was filled with joy, support and excitement every Tuesday and Thursday. You make every single student feel accepted and championed in your class. For that, I want to say thank you. Thank you for making me believe that I have a voice and for reinstalling the fact that journalism is the career path for me. Your wisdom, kindness, wit and humor are characteristics I will never forget and always cherish.”

— Anonymous


Adel Al Weshah

Lecturer, College of Engineering

Course: ENGR 2170: Circuits (Fall 2022)

“I just wanted to take this time to appreciate you and write you a letter to thank you for this semester. You are a great teacher and genuinely care about student’s understanding. It is obvious above anything in the class that you just want your students to understand circuits and think in an efficient way. For me, you have helped me understand circuits so well and have helped my approach to learning. I appreciate you always being so eager to answer all my questions this semester, and being so patient with us as students. It has also been great being able to spend more time with you on our research project, which I am excited to be continuing. You really do make learning easier and fun, and I appreciate you a lot. Thank you for your kind energy and willingness to give back to the community by teaching and sharing your knowledge.”

—Jacob Foster


Kadir Bahar

Assistant Professor, Mary Frances Early College of Education

Course: EPSY 7060E: Assessment Of Gifted Children (Summer 2022)

“I took Dr. Bahar’s class as part of my gifted endorsement. Prior to even being accepted into the program, Dr. Bahar was there to answer all of my questions and get me in touch with those who could help me with this endorsement. While taking his class, I learned more in two months than I ever thought possible. I always felt supported, despite it being an online class, and I knew that I could email him for help with any assignment. While his class was hard, his students know that he is there to help them succeed and meet his high standards. His feedback and grading on assignments was informative, fair and helped me learn how I could adjust my work to do better on the next assignment.”

—Anna Pitstick


Kimberly Van Orman

Lecturer, Institute for Artificial Intelligence, Franklin College of Arts & Sciences

Course: CSCI 6380: Data Mining (Fall 2022)

“Thank you for the great course and hard work. I know it takes a lot of time to handle the assignments and tasks. Look at the course material on the eLC! You did great for us. Thank you for your kindness and caring for us when we ask or answer wrong in class. You care for us and do not let us down. We see that. Thank you for letting us experience a fruitful course. This data mining course was a great start for entering the AI world for me.”

— Anonymous


Beth Weigle

Ph.D. Candidate & Lecturer, College of Family & Consumer Sciences

Course: TXMI 3210: Fundamentals Of Fashion Merchandising (Fall 2022)

“I love your class beyond anything, and I’m always so excited to show up. Your lectures are engaging and interesting, and I love that you include current and past events that go beyond just teaching by the textbook. You are always open to any questions and come back with clear answers, which is sometimes rare to find. I’m trying to get into another one of your classes next semester, and I’m hoping it’s not full or I can get off the waitlist (I’m sure there will be one since everyone loves you). Thanks again!”

—Anonymous


Nandana Weliweriya

Lecturer, Department of Physics and Astronomy, Franklin College of Arts & Sciences

Course: PHYS 1251: Physics 1 For Engineering Majors (Fall 2022)

“I love how wholeheartedly my professor loves teaching and the material he teaches. As a new student, freshman year has been hard to adjust to, but having a professor like Nandana makes me love learning. I love our labs and how much they tie into our learning and help me better understand the content. I really appreciate all the work he does for his students and how much effort he puts into his teaching. I hope more UGA professors can be like him and truly love teaching.”

—Liesel Fazekas


Hillary Palmer

Lecturer, Department of Communication Studies, Franklin College of Arts & Sciences

Course: COMM 3320: Environmental Communication (Fall 2022)

“Dr. Palmer is a professor who exemplifies what every professor should strive to be like for their students. Dr. Palmer is so caring and truly wants the best for everyone. She assumes the best of her students, and she encourages participation without making it uncomfortable or scary to speak up. She has such a clear and understandable structure to the course that all students can understand. Having a professor like this has truly changed my experience at UGA by making the classroom environment a place I want to be with material I’m excited to learn about. Her passion for the course material is so obvious and only makes me want to learn more about it as well.”

—Anonymous


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From providing student academic services to empowering teachers, the Office of Instruction is responsible for a wide range of initiatives that further advance the University of Georgia into the national spotlight as one of the top performing universities in the nation.

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