Each year, the Distinguished Teaching Prize at John Jay College honors up to three exceptional faculty members with an award in recognition of their excellence in teaching. This prestigious prize celebrates those who exemplify student-centered instruction, a commitment to meaningful feedback and continuous improvement, and the use of creative and innovative teaching approaches.

Being nominated for the Distinguished Teaching Prize is a significant honor in itself. It speaks volumes about a faculty member’s dedication to fostering student success and their ability to inspire, challenge, and engage learners. Whether nominated by students, colleagues, or through self-nomination, each nominee stands out as someone who truly makes a difference in the lives of our students and in the broader John Jay community.

---

Nominees with 6 years of nominations

• Jill Frometa, Law, Police Science, and Criminal Justice Administration (2019, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025)
• Richard Haw, Interdisciplinary Studies, Sociology (2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024) ~ Winner
• Evan Mandery, Criminal Justice (2017, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025)

Nominees with 5 years of nominations

• Michael Alcazar, Law, Police Science, and Criminal Justice Administration (2019, 2020, 2023, 2024, 2025)
• Elton Beckett, Africana Studies (2023, 2024, 2025) ~ Winner (2012, Communication & Theatre Arts)
• Kevin Johnson, Sociology (2020, 2021, 2023, 2024, 2025)
• Kim Liao, English (2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024) ~ Winner
• Joseph Maldonado (2019, 2021, 2023, 2024, 2025)
• Aida Martinez-Gomez (2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2025) ~ Winner
• Richard Naughton, Political Science (2019, 2020, 2023, 2024, 2025)
• Jillian Snider, Law, Police Science, and Criminal Justice Administration (2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025)
• Yolanda Ortíz-Rodriguez, Sociology (2017, 2018, 2021, 2024, 2025)
• Hung-Lung Wei, Security, Fire, and Emergency Management (2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023)

---

Nominees by Department

Department of Africana Studies

• Carlton (Jama) Adams (2017, 2019, 2023)
• Milton Allimadi (2017, 2019, 2021, 2024)
• Elton Beckett (2023, 2024, 2025) ~ Winner (2012, Communication & Theatre Arts)
• Teresa A. Booker (2017, 2019)
• Sami Disu (2021, 2022)
• Crystal Endsley-Taylor (2015, 2021, 2025) ~ Winner
• Johanna Foster (2022)
• Jessica Gordon-Nembhard (2021, 2023)
• Errol Houlder (2017, 2023)
• Kira Shepherd (2019, 2020, 2023)
• Tiffany Wheatland (2017, 2018, 2019)

---

Accelerate, Complete, Engage Program (ACE Professionals in Residence Program)

Nominated together:

• Crystal Cotton (2019)
• Kim Melendez (2019)
• Heather Small (2019)
• Andrea West (2019) 

---

Department of Anthropology

• Sinan Celiksu (2018, 2022)
• Pedro De la Torre III (2021, 2024)
• Robin (Robert) Freeman (2022, 2023, 2024, 2025)
• Marta-Laura Haynes (2023)
• Anru Lee (2020, 2024)
• Atiba Rougier (2022, 2023)
• Edward Snajdr (2024)
• Shonna Trinch (2017, 2018, 2022)
• Mengia Hong Tschalaer (2019)

---

Department of Art and Music

• Ryan Bazinet (2021, 2023)
• Dawn Drake (2024)
• Jerry Lim (2023) ~ Winner
• Matthew Merkel-Hess (2019, 2022, 2023)
• Alexandra Nicolaides (2023, 2024)
• Gregory Sheppard (2022)
• Samuel Thomas (2024)
• Erin Thompson (2017, 2021, 2023)

---

Department of Communication and Theater Arts

• Dara Byrne (2009) ~ Winner
• Elton Beckett (2012, 2019, 2020) ~ Winner
• Gregory Donaldson (2014, 2020, 2022) ~ Winner
• Richard Hoehler (2023)
• Roxane Revon (2017, 2023)

---

Department of Counseling and Human Services

• Gerard Bryant (2023)
• Jay Chopra (2019, 2023)
• Dana Cilento (2023)
• Marlene Goldstein (2023)
• Joseph Maldonado (2019, 2021, 2023, 2024, 2025)
• Mickey Melendez (2019)
• Felice Shoot (2023)
• Katherine Stavrianopoulos (2012) ~ Winner
• Stephanie Vorilas (2022, 2023)
• Nancy Yang (2024, 2025)

---

Department of Criminal Justice

• Fabiola Ceballos Durham (2017, 2021, 2022, 2023)
• Jeff Coots (2023)
• Alessandra Early (2025)
• Agron Kaci (2023)
• Evan Mandery (2017, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025)
• Todd Benjamin Pearl (2019, 2020, 2023)
• Gohar Petrossian (2025)
• Corey Simpson (2023, 2024)
• Daria Vaisman (2017, 2018)

---

Department of Economics

• Stephanie Attar (2019, 2023)
• Dante Dallavalle (2023)
• Geert Dhondt (2015, 2025) ~ Winner
• Matthew Dufour (2015) ~ Winner
• Taryn Fivek (2019, 2020)
• Thomas Herndon (2025)
• Michelle Holder (2015) ~ Winner
• Joshua Mason (2025)
• Christian Parenti (2025)
• Ian Seda-Irizarry (2015) ~ Winner
• Eric Seligman (2023)

---

Department of English

• Katherine Arnoldi (2019, 2022, 2023)
• Madhura Bandyopadhyay (2023) ~ Winner
• Audry Basch (2023)
• Adam Berlin (2017)
• Victoria Bond (2017, 2019, 2023, 2024)
• Ilya Bratman (2018, 2019, 2022, 2025)
• Alexa Capeloto (2024, 2025)
• Barbara Cassidy (2025)
• Charissa Che (2025)
• Irene Chrysafi (2020, 2022)
• Gregory Crosby (2024)
• Yasmin Dalisay (2025)
• Robert Faunce (2017) ~ Winner
• Valerie Fryer-Davis (2025)
• Jonathan Gray (2019, 2023, 2025)
• Stephanie Gray (2025)
• Lesley Hansen (2023)
• Amanda Harris (2017, 2018, 2019, 2023) ~ Winner
• Kimberley Helmer (2011) ~ Winner
• Livia Katz (2025)
• Edward Fabian Kennedy (2021, 2022) ~ Winner
• Carmen Kynard (2017)
• Kim Liao (2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024) ~ Winner
• Alexander Long (2017) ~ Winner
• Christen Madrazo (2016, 2018, 2019, 2024) ~ Winner
• Nargiza Matyakubova (2020)
• Mark McBeth (2013, 2025) ~ Winner
• Timothy McCormack (2018, 2019, 2020) ~ Winner
• Adam McKible (2017, 2024)
• Jean Mills (2017, 2018, 2020)
• Christopher Moore (2019, 2024)
  
• Richard Perez (2013) ~ Winner
• Daniel Perrone (2025)
• Alison Perry (2023)
• Jim Petzke (2024)
• Caroline Reitz (2023)
• Dainius Remeza (2023)
• Raul Romero (2018, 2020, 2021, 2023)
• Lee Schreiber (2022, 2023)
• Andrew Selsberg (2025)
• Sandy Singer (2019, 2020, 2021, 2022)
• Lindsay Timmington (2025)
  
• Sara Whitestone (2019, 2023, 2024)
  
• Olivia Wood (2021)
  
• Elizabeth Yukins (2019, 2023)
  
• Anna Zeemont (2019)
• Claudia Zuluaga (2025)

---

Gender Studies Program

• Amy Adamczyk (2023)
• Barbara Cassidy (2025)
• Alessandra Early (2025)
• Crystal Endsley-Taylor (2015, 2021, 2025) ~ Winner
  
• Rachael Feldman (2025)
• Nina Rose Fischer (2022) ~ Winner
• Robin (Robert) Freeman (2022, 2023, 2024, 2025)
• Laura Galeano (2017, 2022)
• Nicholas Malkov (2020)
• Mark McBeth (2013, 2025) ~ Winner
• Sara McDougall (2019, 2023)
• Cristina Onea (2025)
• Caroline Reitz (2023)
• Shonna Trinch (2017, 2018, 2022)
• Mengia Hong Tschalaer (2019)
• Bridget Woods (2020, 2023)
• Michael Yarbrough (2015) ~ Winner
• Katherine (Katie) Zuber (2019, 2022, 2023)

---

Department of Health and  Physical Education

• Jane Katz (2014) ~ Winner

---

Department of History

• Andrea Balis (2010, 2017) ~ Winner
• James DeLorenzi (2025)
• Allison Kavey (2013)
• Sara McDougall (2019, 2023)
• Dustin Meier (2024)
• Diana Moore (2025)
• David Munns (2023)
• James De Lorenzi (2025)
• Rose O’Malley (2019, 2020)
• Phoenix Paz (2024)
• Matthew Perry (2019, 2020) ~ Winner

---

International Criminal Justice Program

• Amy Adamczyk (2023)
• Rosemary Barberet (2017, 2020, 2023)
• Maria (Maki) Haberfeld (2023)
• Gohar Petrossian (2025)
• Jelena Pia-Comella (2023)
• Peter Romaniuk (2024)
• Edward Snadjr (2024)
• Marie-Michelle Strah (2022) ~ Winner

---

Department of Interdisciplinary Studies

• Ryan Bazinet (2021, 2023)
• Barbara Cassidy (2025)
• Giazú Enciso-Dominguez (2020) ~ Winner
• Nina Rose Fischer (2022) ~ Winner
• Sarah Meister (2025)
• Amy Green (2024)
• Adriana Perez (2024)
• Richard Haw (2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024) ~ Winner
• Koffi Scott (2020, 2023)
• Seth Walls (2024)
• Bruce Zola (2023)

---

Department of Latin American and LatinX Studies

• Kristy Aristy (2021, 2023)
• Luis Barrios (2023)
• Naritza Escalera (2024)
• Isabel Martinez (2012) ~ Winner
• Justino Rodriguez (2024)
• Sugenny Santiago Salam (2020, 2022)

---

Department of Law, Police Science and Criminal Justice Administration

• Mark Albarano (2018, 2020)
• Michael Alcazar (2019, 2020, 2023, 2024, 2025)
• Ilter Aykac (2019, 2023)
• Rajub Bhowmik (2024, 2025)
• Kevin Brown (2021, 2023)
• Marc Bullaro (2025)
• Anthony Cangelosi (2025)
• Frank Chen (2024)
• Dennis Consumano (2025)
• Crystal Cotton (2019)
• Joseph Darr (2024)
• Daniel DiPrenda (2019)
• Anila Duro (2025)
• Mary Gibbons (2021, 2023)
• Diane Peress Goldstein (2024)
• Adrian Goodwin (2022)
• Alden Foster (2019)
• Jill Frometa (2019, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025)
• Dana Galante (2024)
• Penny Geyer (2024, 2025)
• Kevin Govern (2023)
• Maria (Maki) Haberfeld (2023)
• Ian Heller (2025)
• Rafael J. Heredia (2017, 2021, 2023, 2025)
• Shanitra Hood (2023)
• Timothy Horohoe (2017, 2018, 2023)
• Kimora (2019, 2022, 2023)
• Joshua Lang (2025)
• Yael Machtinger (2020)
• Nicholas Malkov (2020)
• Kamilla Mamedova (2025)
• Christopher Morse (2023)
• David Pitts (2022)
• Anastasia Raptis (2023)
• Catrina Rhatigan (2017, 2018)
• Keith Ross (2023, 2025)
• Victor Rubin (2020, 2023)
• Luis Sanchez (2023)
• Jon Shane (2023, 2024)
• Heather Small (2019)
• Margaret Smith (2025)
• Shamus William Smith (2022, 2023, 2025)
• Jillian Snider (2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025)
• Arthur Storch (2023)
• Peter Tam (2022)
• Patrick Timmins (2023)
• Alfred Titus (2020, 2023)
  
• Andrea West (2019)
• Julio Valentin (2018)
  
• Gary Wright (2018, 2023)
  
• Derek Zimmerman (2024, 2025)

---

Department of Mathematics and Computer Science

• Aftab Ahmad (2023)
• Genesis Alberto (2023)
• Anthony Badalamenti (2019)
• Sam Baruch (2021, 2024)
• Raisa Castillo (2024, 2025)
• Mohammad Islam (2023, 2024, 2025)
• Jennifer Holst (2020, 2023)
• Shweta Jain (2020, 2023)
• Hunter Johnson (2019, 2022, 2023, 2025)
• Matluba Khodjaeva (2019, 2022, 2025)
• Maksi Kutrolli (2025)
• Natalie Martinez (2019, 2023)
• Earik Middleton (2023, 2025)
• Adrian Lovell (2020)
• George Mitchell (2025)
• Kumar Ramansenthil (2025)
• Rita Shamuilova (2025)
• Thurai Kugan (2019, 2023)
• Gary Welz (2018)

---

Department of Modern Languages and Literatures

• Lamees Fadl (2021, 2022, 2023)
• Maria (Julia) Rossi (2017, 2018, 2020)
• Cristina Lozano Argüelles (2023, 2025)
• Aida Martinez-Gomez (2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2025) ~ Winner
  
• Eloisa Monteoliva Garcia (2019) ~ Winner

---

Department of Public Administration

• Abderrahmane Alaoui (2023)
• Cyrus Cappo (2025)
• Jeanne-Marie Col (2019, 2023, 2024, 2025)
• Chineme (Stacy) Esimai (2019, 2020)
• Daniel Feldman (2024, 2025)
• Charles Forrest (2021)
• Vedica Foster (2023)
• Filloretta Gashi (2019, 2023)
• Leigh Graham (2019)
• Vincent E. Green (2017, 2018, 2019, 2023)
• Clifford Kirsch (2023)
• Minyoung Ku (2023, 2024)
• Calvester Legister (2025)
• Dora Mendez (2024)
• Wilfredo Moran (2017, 2019, 2023)
• Patricia Nemeth (2017, 2018)
• Elizabeth Nisbet (2017, 2018, 2019)
• Iralma Pozo (2022)
• Yvonne W. Purdie (2017, 2019, 2023)
• Lisa Rodriguez (2025)
• David Shapiro (2017)
• Henry Smart (2020, 2021, 2023)
• Robert Strickland (2017, 2018)
• Adam Wandt (2014, 2025) ~ Winner

---

Department of Philosophy

• Jacob Browning (2019, 2023)
• Enrique Chávez-Arvizo (2024)
• Timothy Ignaffo (2018, 2020, 2022)
• Catherine Kemp (2023)
• Mary Ann McClure (2019)
• David Neely (2023)
• Christopher Trogan (2017, 2018, 2025)

---

Department of Political Science

• Jean Carmalt (2018, 2023)
• Alexander De La Paz (2023)
• Samantha Majic (2017, 2019)
• Richard Naughton (2019, 2020, 2023, 2024, 2025)
• Jelena Pia-Comella (2023)
• Jordan Reitzfield (2024)
• Peter Romaniuk (2024)
• Andrew Sidman (2023)
• Charlotte Walker-Said (2023)
• Michael Yarbrough (2015, 2020, 2023, 2024, 2025) ~ Winner
• Katherine (Katie) Zuber (2019, 2022, 2023)

---

Department of Psychology

• Erika Arnone (2021, 2023)
• Karla Batres (2021, 2023, 2025)
• Gabriel Camacho (2019, 2023)
• Joshua Clegg (2017)
• Jennifer Dysart (2017, 2020, 2023, 2024)
• Martin Fagin (2021, 2023)
• Anthony Fortuna (2023)
• Michele Galietta (2025)
• Jillian Grose-Fifer (2009, 2019, 2023) ~ Winner
• Lisa Harris (2025)
• Clint Hougen (2023)
• Emese Ilyes (2018, 2023)
• Elizabeth Jeglic (2023)
• Veronica Elaine Johnson (2020, 2023)
• Kostas Katsavdakis (2019, 2020, 2023, 2025)
• Mahathi Kosuri (2023)
• Margaret Bull Kovera (2010) ~ Winner
• Jessica Kovler (2021, 2023)
• Casey LaDuke (2021)
• Pamela LiVecchi (2023, 2024, 2025) ~ Winner
• Janet Lobel (2019, 2023)
• Silvia Mazzula (2015) ~ Winner
• Martin McElheney (2021)
• Kelly McWilliams (2020, 2023, 2025)
• Ella Merriweather (2023)
• Kevin Nadal (2021)
• Corinne Ortega (2025)
• Gabrielle Salfati (2021)
• Louis B. Schlesinger (2023)
• Alan Schramm (2023)
• Rebecca Spizziri (2019, 2023)
• Melvin Swain (2022, 2023)
• Virginia Torres-Villegas (2017, 2019, 2023)
• Rebeca Weiss (2019, 2023)
• Peggilee Wupperman (2019, 2021)
• Philip Yanos (2023, 2024)

---

Department of Sciences

• Pia Austria (2025
• Angelique Corthals (2019, 2023)
• Lissette Delgado-Cruzata (2023)
• Alexandra Dombroski (2025)
• Lauren Gunderson (2017, 2023)
• Katherine Joubin (2025)
• Julie Kiss (2025)
• Christopher Kluge (2017)
• Nathan Lents (2009) ~ Winner
• Mollie Lynn (2025)
• Monica Mattesi (2024, 2025)
• Patrick McLaughlin (2020)
• Nicholas Morano (2019, 2025)
• Ana Pego (2023, 2024, 2025) ~ Winner
• Mechthild Prinz (2022)
• Jason Rauceo (2024)
• Jennifer Rosati (2020) ~ Winner
• Christine Ta (2021)
• Narayne Teeshavi (2024)
• Daniel Maartens Yaverbaum (2022, 2023)
• Guoqi Zhang (2025)

---

Percy Ellis Sutton SEEK Program

• Delmar Dualeh (2022, 2023)
• Jerome Farnett (2023)
• Cheryl Franks (2023)
• Claudia Zuluaga (2025)

---

Department of Security, Fire and Emergency Management

• Lowell Dimoff (2025)
• Anthony Gentile (2023)
• Paul Kearns (2023)
• Marie-Helen Maras (2017, 2020)
• Diego Redondo (2025)
• Hung-Lung Wei (2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023)

---

Department of Sociology

• Amy Adamczyk (2023)
• Carla Barrett (2017) ~Winner
• Preeti Chauhan (2023)
• Elsa Chen (2023)
• James Ditucci Cappiello (2017, 2023)
• Kevin Johnson (2020, 2021, 2023, 2024, 2025)
• Andrew Karmen (2023)
• Annulla Linders (2023)
• Candace McCoy (2023)
• Jeff Mellow (2023)
• Peter Moskos (2023)
• Susan Opotow (2023)
• Yolanda Ortíz-Rodriguez (2017, 2018, 2021, 2024, 2025)
• Lisandro Pérez (2023)
• Michael Pfeifer (2023)
• Barry Spunt (2023)
• Marisa Tramontano (2022, 2023, 2024, 2025)