Rackham Graduate School's Outstanding Graduate Student Instructor Awards recognize the efforts and accomplishments of GSIs who demonstrate extraordinary dedication and excellence as teachers.
Caroline Sullivan is a doctoral candidate in Comparative Literature at the University of Michigan, currently dissertating on the intersections of Modernist literature and the modern epistemes of physics. Alongside her ground-breaking research, Caroline has also served our undergraduate community through a range of course offerings and as the Graduate Student Teaching Mentor. Will Stroebel, our Director of Undergraduate Studies, writes glowingly of Caroline’s teaching, noting that “she stocks her class with several different genres of writing, from academic research to letters, journalism, and memoir. Many of these writing assignments are stacked atop one another, such that students revisit, revise, and adapt one genre of writing to fit it into the next, thus underscoring both the relationship between texts but also the distinct rules and expectations governing each.” Caroline has also put a lot of thought into her grading system—a point-based contract system that places students in the driver’s seat and allows them to pursue learning at their own pace and on their own terms. The focus of her teaching lies in the process of writing rather than the end product.
The students who nominated Caroline touch on her strength in a first-year writing setting, saying: “Her ability to explain things in an engaging and understandable way has helped me learn immensely, and her feedback for my writing is clear, on point, and constructive, helping me improve my writing skills.” Others note her passion and dedication to her classroom, calling her “inspiring,” inclusive, “well-prepared,” and “fun.” One student wrote: “She goes above and beyond to create a welcoming, intellectually stimulating, and supportive learning environment. Her teaching style allows us students to think with an open mind, consider alternate perspectives, and hold open discussions with our peers in a safe and collaborative space.” Another student put it plainly: Even now, I still reference many of the topics and readings in other courses and conversations… it [was] one of my favorite classes I’ve taken at university.”
Congratulations, Caroline!
