2019 News Stories
Assistant Professor receives Margaret Burlington Tritle Excellence in Teaching Faculty Award
Associate Professor Alisha Braun, PhD, (left) received the 2018-19 Margaret Burlington Tritle Excellence in Teaching Faculty Award.
TAMPA, Fla. (May 7, 2019) — College of Education Assistant Professor Alisha Braun, PhD, was selected to receive
the 2018-19 Margaret Burlington Tritle Excellence in Teaching Faculty Award, an annual
award presented to a College of Education faculty member who demonstrates exemplary
teaching.
Dr. Braun joined the College of Education in 2017 as an assistant professor of social
foundations. Her research bridges the fields of educational policy, disability studies,
psychology and international and comparative education, and her general work focuses
on inclusive education policy and practice for students with disabilities in sub-Saharan
Africa.
Dr. Braun teaches both undergraduate and graduate courses in the Social Foundations
program, most notably the undergraduate course “Schools and Society.” During her time
at USF, she has earned positive feedback from the students in her classes while also
working on the development of new curriculum in international and comparative education
and of a new USF Education Abroad program on Schools and Society in South Africa.
“Dr. Braun articulates a teaching philosophy with a strong commitment to social justice,
and she sets clear goals for her teaching based on learner-centered pedagogy and inclusive
community building,” said Barbara Shircliffe, PhD, professor and chair of the Department
of Educational and Psychological Studies. “Since joining the department, Dr. Braun
has quickly established a reputation as an outstanding teacher, and her efforts remain
noteworthy and pave the way to expand the college’s curriculum offerings.”
The Margaret Burlington Tritle Excellence in Teaching Faculty Award was created in
2017 through a gift made to the College of Education by USF alumnus Lawrence Tritle to honor his late wife’s teaching legacy. Faculty
recipients receive a $3,000 award to support research, professional travel, and other
activities related to teaching and scholarship at USF.