Courtney Wright Receives 2021 Excellence in Teaching Award from UT
Communication Studies Associate Professor Courtney Wright was one of four University of Tennessee faculty members to receive a 2021 Excellence in Teaching award. The award is bestowed by the Office of the Chancellor and the Teaching Council of the Faculty Senate to honor outstanding work in the classroom.
Read more about 2021 Chancellor’s Honors Banquet award recipients.
Wright joined the faculty in 2008. She is an associate professor and director of undergraduate studies and the honors program in the School of Communication Studies and co-director of UTK’s Intergroup Dialogue and Conflict Resolution (IGD+CR) Program. Her teaching and research activities focus on interpersonal communication, conflict management and communicating across differences.
What does being a Volunteer mean to you? How has UT empowered you to make a difference in a way you might not have imagined elsewhere?
Since joining the faculty in 2008, I have pursued intersections between my teaching, research and service in ways that have allowed me to collaborate with diverse students, faculty, and staff. During this time, I have learned so much about what it can and should mean to be a Volunteer. The insights from these experiences, particularly those shared with my students, have been significant sources of commitment and inspiration throughout my career.
I hope that my teaching infuses a Volunteer spirit of humility and courage in students—inspiring them to use effective interpersonal communication, conflict management and inclusive outreach and engagement to serve and lead others. Today, I believe there is great potential and an even greater need for our university community to live out the Volunteer mission to its fullest. I am committed to continuing to contribute to those efforts.