Three of the four academic units honored with 2019 University Exemplary Department or Program Award were from the College of Liberal Arts and Human Sciences: ASPECT, the Department of Modern and Classical Languages and Literatures, and the Department of Sociology. 

The University Exemplary Department or Program Award is presented by the Office of the Executive Vice President and Provost through the Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning. This year units were recognized for exemplifying inclusive excellence in teaching and learning. 

ASPECT earned the distinction for its diverse curriculum, the creative interdisciplinary research of its Core Faculty, the variety of events it has organized, and research projects its students have undertaken.

The honor was bestowed upon the Department of Modern and Classical Languages and Literatures for its commitment to and valuing of pedagogical practices; the role of teaching in the departmental hiring, evaluation, and promotion processes; and its focus on embracing and advancing a teacher-scholar model.

For the Department of Sociology, inclusive engagement is a central concept in all aspects of academic life; virtually all of its faculty are scholar-activists whose research has had practical implications for the communities and populations with whom they work. Their engagement extends from the classroom to the world community, motivating students and faculty and binding them together. 

The four units recognized will share the $40,000 award; a recognition ceremony was held February 20 at The Inn at Virginia Tech.