Professor Nicholson to receive UofL's Exemplary Multicultural Teaching Award

Brandeis School of Law Professor Lisa Nicholson will formally receive the Presidential Exemplary Multicultural Teaching Award from the University of Louisville next week.

UofL President James Ramsey and Interim Provost Neville Pinto will host the 2015 Celebration of Faculty Excellence on Tuesday, September 15. During the 6 p.m. ceremony, they will recognize President’s Distinguished Faculty Award winners, the Exemplary Multicultural Teaching Award winner, the Paul Weber Award for Departmental Excellence in Teaching winner, newly endowed chairs and professors, new University Scholars and Distinguished University Scholars, and faculty whose creative work has resulted in new patents and licenses. The ceremony will take place in the B&W Club at Papa John’s Cardinal Stadium.

Below is an excerpt of the nomination letter sent by Dean Susan Duncan:

"Lisa takes great pride not only in the art of effective teaching, but in fully mastering innovative techniques of inclusion. Her corporate law course offerings expose students to the complexities and nuances of transactional practice while helping them to develop a critical multicultural perspective. She encourages and engenders critical thinking by investing her students with the confidence and analytical tools to unpack corporate structures which may maintain societal barriers to inclusion.For example, in her Drafting Seminar, Professor Nicholson provides students with an experiential learning opportunity by exploring issues such as gender, race, and ageism as obstacles to the achievement of transactional goals. She employs in-class exercises, group assignments, and a negotiation and drafting competition as part of this learning experience. But what is particularly noteworthy is the extensive feedback that Professor Nicholson gives to her students on critical issues of professionalism, civility, and empathy. Our students are better prepared to be truly competent in all aspects of practice, particularly their cultural competency and understanding of multiculturalism in a diverse world, because of Professor Nicholson’s exemplary multicultural teaching in the field of corporate law."

This is the second year in a row a Brandeis Professor received this award. Last year's winner was Professor Jamie Abrams.