The University of Texas at Austin School of Social Work is pleased to announce that Shane Whalley, graduate and lecturer, and Isaac Akapnitis, teaching assistant, are recipients of the 2012 Texas Exes Teaching Award presented by the University of Texas alumni association.
From left, Dr. Steven Leslie, Texas Exes President Machree Gibson, Shane Whalley, Dean Luis Zayas
At a ceremony held recently, Texas Exes CEO and Executive Director Leslie Cedar presented the award recipients representing UT Austin colleges and schools.
In introducing Whalley, Cedar remarked, “Since receiving this award as a teaching assistant in 2003, Shane Whalley’s dedication to the students in the School of Social Work has not wavered. Now, as Shane accepts this award again as a Social Justice lecturer, students continue to compliment the personal relationship and inspirational environment Shane fosters in the classroom,” said Cedar.
In introducing Akapnitis, Cedar said, “Isaac Akapnitis believes that each student brings something unique to
From left, Dr. Steven Leslie, Texas Exes President Machree Gibson, Isaac Akapnitis, Dean Luis Zayas
the classroom and he encourages them to not only share, but also challenge their own perspectives. He desires for his students to think critically, paving their own way through college and their future careers as social workers.”
The purpose of the annual Texas Exes Teaching Awards is to promote quality teaching at The University of Texas. These awards are student nominated and student selected through the Texas Exes and the university’s Senate of College Councils, a student-elected representative body of all colleges within the university.
“We at the Texas Exes know that alumni involvement is most often fueled by a student’s good experience on campus, and nothing impacts that experience more than excellent teachers,” said Machree Gibson, president of the Texas Exes.