May 17, 2023

Honors’ Recent Teaching Awards

Each spring, UW Honors students nominate a teacher who has made a meaningful/memorable impact on them over the past year. After reviewing a record number of nominations, we are thrilled to announce that we had a tie (!) and the 2023 Honors Excellence in Teaching Award goes to both Interdisciplinary Honors instructor, Nadra Fredj and Departmental Honors in sociology instructor, Steven Karceski!

Both HETA winners are pursuing advanced degrees while teaching and supporting undergraduate students at the UW.

Nadra Fredj has worked for the Honors Program since graduating from the University of Washington with a B.S. in Psychology and a B.A. in Law, Societies, and Justice in 2020. She is pursuing a Masters in Education in Student Development Administration at Seattle University. Nadra is especially interested in identity development, the intersection of education with the criminal legal system, and addressing issues of equity and access within higher education. 

From one nominee: “Nadra is deeply committed to her role in the Honors program. She is supportive and prioritizes making meaningful connections with students. They make you feel included and foster such a sense of community. I didn’t feel I had a place in Honors until I had Nadra as an educator. She makes you reflect on your educational growth, so you learn a lot about yourself when you take one of her classes.”

Steven Karceski is a doctoral candidate in the UW Department of Sociology. He studies politics, public opinion and political economy — with substantive focuses on the discourse and social science around the center of American politics, as well as the political and institutional determinants of taxation. His teaching focuses on sociological theory, political sociology, undergraduate research, and statistical programming. He leads UW Sociology’s Departmental Honors program.

As put by one of his students: “Steve always structures class time around what majority feels would be most beneficial and productive. He is quick to help students with questions and to provide any additional resources, connections to other faculty or organizations that may be able to help. He is invested in each of the student projects and is always keeping an open mind when students approach him with different matters related to the program or course work. Steve has made this program a wonderful experience!”

Watch this short video to learn more about our 2023 HETA recipients: