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Piper Awards

Each May, the Minnie Stevens Piper Foundation honors 10 outstanding college and university professors across Texas with the prestigious Minnie Stevens Piper Professor Award, recognizing exceptional dedication to teaching and academic excellence.

At UHCL, the nomination process begins each fall with a campus-wide call for eligible faculty self-nominations. Submitted nomination packets are reviewed and scored by the UHCL Minnie Stevens Piper Award Committee. The five highest-scoring applicants are named Semi-Finalists. These Semi-Finalists are then invited to submit additional materials for further evaluation. Based on this second round of review, the committee selects one Finalist who will represent UHCL in the statewide competition for the Minnie Stevens Piper Professor Award.

Applications are now open. The deadline to submit a self-nomination form and completed nomination packet is Monday, October 6, 2025 at 5 P.M

Instructions for Self-Nominations

Step 2: Submit the completed nomination packet within the form

Packets must include the following: 

  1. A narrative written by the applicant that clearly states the applicant’s teaching activities and why they merit serious consideration for the award. The narrative must include the full-time equivalent student enrollment for each course in the semester preceding the nomination.
  2. A current curriculum vita.
  3. Up to five letters of recommendation. Letters may be from administrators, colleagues, and/or current and former students. 

Frequently Asked Questions

Who can nominate a faculty member?

All UHCL full-time faculty are eligible to self-nominate for this honor. Only self-nominations with completed nomination packets will be considered. 

What faculty members are eligible for self-nomination?

Full-time tenured, tenure-track, and non-tenure track teaching faculty members who have taught for a minimum of at least five academic years prior to the nomination year may apply. Members of the Award Committee are not eligible to apply.

What must the nomination packet include? 
  • A narrative written by the applicant that clearly states the applicant’s teaching activities and why they merit serious consideration for the award. The narrative must include the full-time equivalent student enrollment for each course in the semester preceding the nomination.
  • A current curriculum vita.
  • Up to five letters of recommendation. Letters may be from administrators, colleagues, and/or current and former students. 
Who is on the Minnie Stevens Piper Professor Award Comminittee?
The Award Committee consists of one faculty member and one student from each college (eight members). The prior year's UHCL Piper Award finalist serves as the representative for their college. 
Where can I find the complete procedures for the UHCL Minnie Stevens Piper Professor Award?
The procedures for the UHCL Minnie Stevens Piper Professor Award can be found here
Who can I contact with questions?

Contact Marie Best at best@uhcl.edu or x3010 or contact the Office of the Provost at x3000.

UHCL Piper Finalists by Year

* indicates a winner of the Minnie Stevens Piper Award

  • Piper Nominees
  • 2024-2025
    Charuksha Walgama
  • 2023-2024
    Barbara Hales
  • 2022-2023
    Ahmed Abukmail
  • 2021-2022
    Youssef Hamidi
  • 2020-2021
    Unal Sakoglu
  • 2019 - 2020
    Jiang Lu
Previous Winners (2019-1976)

2019: Wanalee Romero

2018: Sarah Costello

2017: Hakduran Koc 

2016: Lillian McEnery

2015: Denise McDonald

2014: Stephen Cherry

2013: William T. Hoston

2012: Stuart Larson

2011: Gary Boetticher

2010: Keith Parsons

2009: Kimberly Case

2008: Cynthia L. Howard

2007: Larry Rhode

2006: Rebecca Huss-Keeler

2005: Angela M. Howard

2004: Laurie Weaver

2003: Thomas L. Harman

2002: Margaret Hill

2001: Kyna Shelley

2000: Nick DeVries

1999: Angus MacNeil

1998: Altan Erdem

1997: Mattie C. Porter

1996: Patricia Wilson

1995: Kenneth Black

1994: Kwok-bun Yue

1993: Jonathan Zophy Jr.

1992: Cynthia Howard

1991: Robert Wegman

1990: Cynthia Miller

1989: John Gorman

1988: William Rice

1987: Elizabeth Reynolds

1986: Ron Mills

1985: Shelbey Morton

1984: William Rice *

1983: John Gormon

1982: Ron Fitzmaurice

1981: Chris Downs

1980: Don Kyle

1980: Peter Bishop

1980: Andrea Bermudez

1979: Jim Bowman

1978: Carroll Lassiter; Gretchen Mieszkowski *

1977: Tom McFaul; Gretchen Mieszkowski 

1976: Chris Dede; John Snyder 



Contact

  • Office of the Provost

    Phone: 281-283-3000
    Fax: 281-283-3009
    Email: provost@uhcl.edu
    Bayou Building, 2525
    2700 Bay Area Blvd, Box 74
    Houston, TX 77058-1002

    Office hours:
    Monday - Friday, 8 a.m. - 5 p.m.