Lyra Hilliard Awarded Provost’S Ptk Award
June 08, 2017
Senior lecturer acknowledged for contributions toward teaching excellence.
Lyra Hilliard, senior lecturer in the Department of English, has received the 2016-17 Professional Track Faculty Award (PTK) for excellence in teaching. The award is presented by the Office of Faculty Affairs and the Provost for excellence in one of three areas: teaching, research and service.
Both UMD students and faculty spoke of Hilliard’s skill and dedication to teaching.
One student notes that “Ms. Hilliard is absolutely amazing and makes every step of the way more enjoyable than the last.”
Maggie Ray, a PTK instructor in the Department of English, pointed out Hillard’s generosity with both students and colleagues.
“At the drop of a hat,” Ray says, “she will share key readings, walk her colleagues through various pedagogical tools or online apps, or schedule a one-on-one conference to tackle anything that might be a pressing need. I am grateful to have her as a colleague and mentor now.”
Lyra Hilliard teaches academic writing, professional writing and 388V, the seminar for undergraduate teaching assistants in the English department’s writing programs. As part of the 2011-2012 Provost’s Blended Learning Initiative, Lyra helped redesign and pilot English 101 for the blended format, and she has been the Blended and Online Learning Coordinator for the Academic Writing Program since 2013.