Shanon Reckinger receives college’s Harold A. Simon Award for teaching excellence
Shanon Reckinger receives college’s Harold A. Simon Award for teaching excellence Heading link
Clinical Associate Professor Shanon Reckinger received the Harold A. Simon Award this year, which recognizes teaching excellence within the College of Engineering. The award is named for the late Dr. Harold A. Simon, a UIC professor of mechanical engineering.
One award is presented each year to a College of Engineering faculty member who embodies the distinguished service, dedication, and teaching excellence that defined the late Dr. Simon’s career at UIC. The award was first presented in 1985.
“I am honored to be recognized by the college,” Reckinger said. “Thank you to my department head Bob Sloan, Dean Pete Nelson, and my colleagues for all their support. And a special thanks to all my past and current students for reaching out to say congrats.”
Reckinger has been teaching computer science at UIC since 2018. Throughout her career, she has taught 17 different courses, most of which she designed or developed herself.
A prolific teacher, Reckinger has taught approximately 5,000 students, averaging around 800 per year. Reckinger is also chair of the teaching track faculty search committee.
“Teaching is a challenging job because learning only happens when the learner, teacher, and environment are all in at least some semblance of harmony,” Reckinger said. “I hone and tweak my course at each iteration, in hopes that it provides that harmony–clear expectations, flexibility without needing to ask, all the necessary resources for success, etcetera.”
Earlier this year, Reckinger received a 2023-2024 Teaching Recognition Program Award (TRP) from UIC. Offered through the Office of the Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs, the TRP award is available to faculty who have documented their teaching excellence over the past three academic years.
Reckinger continued about her teaching philosophy and the experience of being in the classroom:
“It is far from perfect and always looks nothing like I imagined it, but that is the reality of teaching. Something quite in opposition to computer science since computers do exactly and only what they are told,” Reckinger said. “I enjoy the duality and fear I may get bored if I were doing only one or the other!”
The award was presented to Reckinger on May 4 at the Spring 2024 commencement.