Graduate TAs honored with 2026 Tanner Awards

In 1990, the University expanded the purview of the Tanner Awards to recognize excellence in the teaching of undergraduates by graduate teaching assistants. Each of the winners receives a one-time stipend of $5,000 and a framed citation.

Charalampos Gappas, history department, UNC College of Arts and Sciences 

Who is the best teacher you’ve had and why? 

I have been lucky in my life because I had excellent teachers. At this moment, I would single out my late professor Spyridon Sfetas, who taught me Balkan history at the University of Thessaloniki. A human full of life and passion for history.

What’s something creative you’ve done to engage your students? 

As history may seem distant to some students, I encouraged them to bring their own “histories” to class and discuss how they think these relate to the event we were studying.

Erica Janko, sociology department, UNC College of Arts and Sciences 

Who is the best teacher you’ve had and why? 

I couldn’t possibly name just one! I’ve learned important lessons from every teacher I’ve had. I earned my undergraduate degree from Swarthmore College, and my professors there were especially influential on my teaching approach. I try to bring small liberal arts ethos to the larger classes I teach at Carolina.

What’s something creative you’ve done to engage your students? 

During one of my favorite weeks in my sociology of work class, we study the social dynamics and labor processes in artistic work. Applying concepts from Becker’s “Art Worlds,” I help students create a short performance piece, complete with lighting, set design, costumes, music and choreography. We also take a field trip to the Ackland.

Logan Mitchell, philosophy department, UNC College of Arts and Sciences 

Who is the best teacher you’ve had and why? 

Cheshire Calhoun, an amazing philosopher who recently retired from Arizona State University. It was clear she was passionate not only about the subject material but also what we thought about it. She was never afraid to challenge our views but did so respectfully and with kindness. I aspire to be like her!

What’s something creative you’ve done to engage your students? 

I love bringing humor to the classroom. If there’s a way I can connect course material to “Saturday Night Live” or funny TikToks I see, I will do so. I once taught a concept in Buddhist philosophy by having students watch Kristen Wiig as the surprise party lady on “SNL.”

Bex (Rebecca) Nelson, mathematics department, UNC College of Arts and Sciences 

Who is the best teacher you’ve had and why? 

I’ve had so many wonderful teachers, but Ms. Lois Pipkin stands out because of her intensely fun and collaborative classroom atmosphere in elementary mathematics and reading. She nurtures curiosity and a delight for learning in her students that has stuck with me throughout my entire educational career.

What’s something creative you’ve done to engage your students? 

During final exam review for my calculus course, we played a game called “I Have.” On little slips of paper I created, each student had a problem and solution to another student’s problem in the classroom, and we tried to quickly connect every problem with its solution as a team!

Jaeho Yoo, UNC Kenan-Flagler Business School 

Who is the best teacher you’ve had and why? 

My master’s adviser, Jong-Hag Choi, always emphasized the importance of becoming a good teacher. At Carolina, that lesson took clearer shape: Stephen Glaeser showed me what deep investment in students’ growth looks like, Robert Bushman showed me the joy of teaching, and Mark Lang taught me to approach financial accounting with a clear framework.

What’s something creative you’ve done to engage your students? 

I ask students early on about their dream jobs and the companies they hope to join. Then I build examples and practice problems around those firms’ actual financial statements, so they learn accounting through businesses they already care about. I try to make the material feel more personal and useful.