Dana Nichols was recently awarded the College of Literature, Science, and the Arts' Outstanding Contributions to Undergraduate Education award. This award recognizes faculty members who are exceptionally dedicated to the educational experiences of undergraduates, and who demonstrate this dedication through achievements and innovations in their own and others’ classrooms or academic programs. 

Dana teaches for the Sweetland Center for Writing and the Department of English. Her courses focus primarily on race, literature, and writing pedagogy. Dana also coordinates Sweetland's Writing Prizes, and serves as editor for the Writing Prize volumes.