Ohio State is in the process of revising websites and program materials to accurately reflect compliance with the law. While this work occurs, language referencing protected class status or other activities prohibited by Ohio Senate Bill 1 may still appear in some places. However, all programs and activities are being administered in compliance with federal and state law.

The WAC Outstanding Writing Instruction Award

Call for Applications for the 2025-2026 CSTW WAC Outstanding Writing Instruction Award   

for GTAs: Due Monday, March 16th, 2026 at 5 p.m. 

Are you a graduate student who uses writing in your teaching in a meaningful way to respond to students’ needs and promote their learning in your discipline? Or have you used writing in your courses as a pedagogical tool to help students learn material and content for your courses? If so, consider applying for the 2026 Writing Across the Curriculum Outstanding Writing Instruction Award. 

 

The award recipient will receive a $200 monetary award from the Center for the Study and Teaching of Writing and public recognition as an outstanding instructor who uses writing to teach in meaningful ways to promote student learning. The application deadline is Monday, March 16th at 5 p.m. Refer to the details below for more information.  

 

Eligibility requirements: 

  • Applicants must be graduate students during the 2025-2026 academic year.  
  • Applicants must have experience teaching at the university level as a graduate teaching assistant/associate or be able to relate past teaching experience to their current OSU position and future teaching philosophy. 
  • Previous applicants and honorable mention recipients are eligible to apply again.  
  • Past winners are ineligible to apply.  

To apply, select one course you are teaching or have taught as a GTA to focus on, and submit the following (in .doc, .docx or .pdf format*) using the 2026 WAC Award Nomination form:  

  1. A one-to-two-page cover letter (single-spaced, 12pt font). Your cover letter should: 
  1. Explain how you use writing to teach in meaningful ways that reflect your teaching philosophy in the course you’ve selected; 
  1. Discuss how you connect writing to the overall learning goals and course objectives; and  
  1. Provide specific evidence demonstrating how you use writing to respond to students’ challenges or needs in the course. 
  1. One of the following: sample assignment, activity, or lesson plan that shows how you have used writing to address a student challenge or need in that course and/or how you have used writing to meet course objectives and learning goals. (You may want to include a few explanatory notes in the sample to provide more clarity for the judges to understand the context of your submission materials and components.) If you have questions about what to submit here, please contact Dr. Chris Manion (manion.12@osu.edu). 
  1. The syllabus from the course you selected.  
    *** Please title your files with your last name and first name plus file names (example: BuckeyeBrutus_syllabus.docx) *** 

Your submission will be judged on how well the cover letter and accompanying materials: 

  • Link writing to your wider teaching philosophy 
  • Connect writing to the overall learning goals and course objectives reflected in the syllabus 
  • Use writing to respond to students’ challenges or needs in the course 

Here are some questions to prompt your thinking about what meaningful writing might look like in your teaching: 

  • How have you used writing to innovate your students’ learning experience? 
  • How has writing served as an opportunity for students to learn your discipline’s practices? 
  • How has writing helped your students’ academic needs? 
  • How has incorporating writing helped make space to value your students’ experiences and skills? 

The WAC team will review applications and select finalists. We will select the winner and honorable mentions by the end of April. 

Have questions about your application? We encourage you to contact the WAC program (via Dr. Chris Manion at manion.12@osu.edu) to arrange an optional consultation before you submit your application materials. The last day for these consultations will be Friday, March 13th.