President’s Award for Excellence—Outstanding Lecturer

Sarah McGinley, coordinator of sexual studies and lecturer of English language and literature.

Sarah McGinley’s exceptional teaching, university service, and professional development attest to her commitment to fully engaged, lifelong learning—both for her students and for herself.

A lecturer, McGinley annually teaches nine sections of undergraduate English courses, including Composition, Business Writing, and Great Books. She is routinely required to adapt her courses for specialized student populations and does so seamlessly with a grace and tact that make the adaptations resonate equally with all audiences. Among these adaptations include developing and teaching a composition course for veterans, coordinating the Sexuality Studies minor for the College of Liberal Arts, and working with the College of Nursing and Health to design a second-year writing course that prepares nursing students for their professional and design-specific writing.

At the center of McGinley’s teaching is a profound commitment to students, and twice she has been recognized with a Writing Across the Curriculum Excellence in Teaching Award.

While maintaining a rigorous teaching load, McGinley’s commitment to the quality of students’ education and lives is further demonstrated through her service to campus. McGinley serves as faculty advisor for many student organizations, is on the Veteran and Military-Connected Student Committee, and has served as a member of the English Writing Programs Committee and the Undergraduate Curriculum and Academic Policy Committee.

McGinley also serves her colleagues through the Teaching Assistant Mentoring Program, the Faculty Senate, the Faculty Affairs Committee, and as the Faculty Writing Consultant for the Writing Across the Curriculum Program.

In many ways, according to Carol Loranger, Ph.D., and chair of the English Department, “McGinley’s teaching and service are indistinguishable from one another—reminding us what education can and should be.”