The Kroepsch-Maurice Excellence in Teaching Awards recognize faculty for excellent instruction. They memorialize Robert H. and Ruth M. Kroepsch and her parents, Walter C. and Mary L. Maurice. Robert H. Kroepsch served as Registrar and Dean of Administration at UVM from 1946-56. Ruth Kroepsch graduated from UVM in 1938 and her father, Walter Maurice, graduated from UVM in 1909. All four were teachers. The Kroepsch-Maurice Awards are administered under the authority of the Office of the Provost in support of academic excellence in teaching and learning.

The Kroepsch-Maurice Excellence in Teaching Awards recognize faculty members for their excellence in teaching, including creating an environment conducive to and encouraging learning. Each year, one faculty member in each of the four faculty ranks (Lecturer/Senior Lecturer/Clinical Instructor, Assistant Professor, Associate Professor, and Professor) receives this honor.

The AY 2023-2024 award recipients are:

• Lecturer Glenn Levine-West, Ph.D., Program in German, Russian, and Hebrew, School of World Languages and Cultures, College of Arts and Sciences
Glenn Levine-West’s research interests are applied linguistics, foreign language pedagogy, language program direction, multilingualism, sociolinguistics, Germanic linguistics, Yiddish language and literature, and German-Jewish literature. His students describe him as very passionate and one of the most dedicated professors to helping students understand the materials they are learning. He is a good communicator with great classroom management and excellent teaching skills, and he clearly makes an effort to create an engaging, inclusive, safe, and encouraging classroom.

• Assistant Professor Nicole Conroy, Ph.D., Department of Counseling, Human Development and Family Science, College of Education and Social Services
Nicole Conroy’s research and teaching center on the contextual and transactional nature of human development and relationships, with a focus on strengths-based perspectives to promote positive development and healthy relationships. She has taught courses on power and interpersonal violence, human sexuality, research methods, family theories, and human development, and contributes to several community-engaged learning opportunities for students. According to one colleague, “Nicole’s record of teaching is exemplary and consistently receives some of the highest teaching evaluation scores in the department. The quality of her teaching far exceeds the standards set forth by UVM and over 1,650 students have been fortunate enough to engage in her classes.”

• Associate Professor Kate Nolfi, Ph.D., Department of Philosophy, College of Arts and Sciences
Kate Nolfi's primary research interests lie at the intersection of epistemology, metaethics, and the philosophy of mind. Her research investigates these questions together, as inextricably interrelated and mutually informative. 1) what are beliefs? 2) what does it take to have beliefs that are justified, or to believe rationally? and, 3) why should we care about whether our beliefs are justified, or whether we believe in ways that are rational? In the words of a former student, “Dr. Nolfi is a fantastic professor, and I am incredibly grateful to have learned from her. She taught the class in an instructional yet conversational manner that encouraged engagement and active participation. She frequently asked for feedback, which I appreciated since it meant she was genuinely concerned with teaching us in the most effective way possible.”

• Professor Tyler Doggett, Ph.D., Department of Philosophy, College of Arts and Sciences
Tyler Doggett is most interested in ethics, philosophy of mind, early modern philosophy, and metaphysics. He primarily teaches ethics courses, including courses on altruism, food ethics, parenting ethics, and the ethics of killing various things. A recent student wrote, “This was an all–around incredible course where I felt encouraged to grow as a learner and a thinker. Tyler's willingness to spend time and go over concepts until there was a collective understanding is highly valuable. I felt challenged by the conversations in class and the readings allowed me to think more deeply about our discussions in class.”