Graduate Students Gain Classroom Leadership Experience That Counts
Two graduate student instructors set the pace for teaching excellence at UNC Charlotte this year. Samantha Cruz (Kinesiology) and Michele Falla (Curriculum and Instruction) earned top honors at the 2025–2026 Graduate Teaching Assistant Awards, standing out in a record field of 69 nominations from across the University.
Cruz received the Outstanding Teaching Assistant Award for her disciplined preparation and student‑focused instruction. Her nominator noted that she doesn’t just present complex anatomical and physiological concepts, she walks students through them with clarity and confidence, building understanding that sticks.
Falla was named Outstanding Instructor of Record, recognized for creating classrooms where students engage, contribute, and grow. According to her nominator, her greatest strength is her ability to build learning environments where students feel valued and motivated to do their best work.
Presented by the Graduate School, the annual awards recognize excellence in two categories — Teaching Assistant (TA) and Instructor of Record (IOR). Peers and mentors submit nominations to the Thomas L. Reynolds Center for Graduate Life and Learning, and faculty judges independently evaluate finalists to select the winners.
Teaching Assistant Award Finalists
- Kevin Benson, Public Health Sciences
- Samantha Cruz, Kinesiology
- Karen Kopitsky, Elementary Education
- Lucey Patterson, Kinesiology
- Roger Riggin, Infrastructure & Environmental Systems
- Cheri Rubio, Special Education
- Jesse Strunk Elkins, Public Health Sciences
- Sogand Tayebinaz, Business Administration
- Yupeng Yang, Computer Science
- Qifan Zhao, Infrastructure & Environmental Systems
Instructor of Record Finalists
- Rachael Rowe, Infrastructure & Environmental Systems
- Michele Falla, Curriculum and Instruction
Both award recipients received a $1,000 credit to their student accounts and were recognized at an in‑person ceremony led by Bill Tolone, associate provost and dean of the Graduate School, and Katherine Hall‑Hertel, associate dean of graduate academic and student affairs of the Graduate School.
From public health and education to engineering and computing, UNC Charlotte’s graduate instructors are delivering measurable classroom impact while advancing their own degrees.
Congratulations to Samantha Cruz, Michele Falla, and all of this year’s nominees.