The Universities of Wisconsin recently announced the selection of the 2025–2026 Wisconsin Teaching Fellows & Scholars.

This year’s Wisconsin Teaching Fellows and Scholars (WTFS) participants include 21 faculty and instructors from the Universities of Wisconsin’s 11 comprehensive universities, nominated by Provosts for their excellence in teaching and learning.

The WTFS program provides UW faculty and teaching academic staff a unique opportunity to collaborate with other exceptional teachers from across the Universities of Wisconsin and from various disciplines. In addition to discussing effective evidence-based teaching and learning approaches, participants are guided through systematic research focused on improving student learning through a Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) project. The yearlong program begins in May and will culminate with a research presentation in Spring 2026. 

Wisconsin Teaching Fellows & Scholars is one of three signature programs offered by the Universities of Wisconsin’s Office of Professional and Instructional Development (OPID). OPID supports the Universities of Wisconsin’s’ 13 Centers for Teaching and Learning in fostering a culture of teaching and learning excellence in Wisconsin. Together they offer professional development programs that seek to enhance student learning in face-to-face, online, and blended learning environments. Fay Akindes is the OPID Director.

The Wisconsin Teaching Fellows & Scholars program is directed by two faculty leaders, Valerie Barske, a history professor at UW-Stevens Point, and Heather Pelzel, a biological sciences professor at UW-Whitewater.

The two 2025-26 Teaching Fellows & Scholars selected from the UW-Whitewater faculty are:

Steve Girard, Associate Professor, Chemistry
Lauren Zepp, Assistant Professor, Special Education