The CTE has named six USC faculty members as recipients of the 2025 Garnet Apple Award for Teaching Innovation. The Garnet Apple Award recognizes faculty who advance student learning through exemplary, innovative teaching practices. Awardees are selected through a competitive peer-reviewed process that highlights innovation, inclusivity, and impact across disciplines and campuses. This year’s recipients will be recognized at Oktoberbest: A Symposium on Teaching, scheduled for Friday, October 17, 2025.

2025 Garnet Apple Award Recipients

Sahar Aghasafari Assistant Professor  Art  USC Lancaster  Sahar Aghasafari blends Universal Design for Learning (UDL), Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics (STEAM) education, and experiential learning to create accessible, interdisciplinary learning experiences. Their students use digital tools like Adobe InDesign and artificial intelligence platforms to develop industry-ready portfolios. Through multimodal assignments and projects such as Isomer Stories, she encourages creativity, critical thinking, and real-world application.
Kate Bernheisel Assistant Professor Advanced Professional Nursing Practice College of Nursing Kate Bernheisel uses virtual reality and simulation to immerse students in patient experiences shaped by social determinants of health. Their interactive case studies and reflective activities develop empathy, clinical reasoning and cultural competence as essential foundations for holistic, patient-centered care.
Christina Cox Associate Professor Clinical Pharmacy and Outcomes Sciences College of Pharmacy Christina Cox connects classroom learning to clinical practice through simulations, role-play and case-based instruction. Their course Off the Scrxipt fosters advocacy and systems thinking by combining podcasting with community engagement that helps students build communication skills and professional confidence.
Meena Khalili Associate Professor Visual Art & Design McCausland College of Arts and Sciences  Meena Khalili integrates emerging technologies like artificial intelligence, augmented reality, user experience/user interface (UX/UI) and human-centered design into their courses while emphasizing ethical, creative innovation. Students partner with local organizations on real-world projects, gaining hands-on experience and developing critical problem-solving skills.
Vanessa Kitzie Associate Professor Information Science College of Information and Communications Vanessa Kitzie grounds her teaching in participatory and critical pedagogies that guide students to explore algorithmic bias, ethical technology use, and social justice. Projects such as artificial intelligence audits and educational game design connect theory to practice, and their mentorship supports student research and community partnerships.
Eilea Knotts Instructional Faculty/Lab Coordinator  Biological Sciences McCausland College of Arts and Sciences  Eilea Knotts redesigns biology courses using inquiry-based learning, collaborative projects, and mastery-focused grading. Their use of specification grading, reflective assignments, and real-world case scenarios fosters critical thinking, metacognition, and student resilience in science education.

Thank You to the Review Committee

The CTE extends sincere thanks to the 2025 Garnet Apple Award Review Committee for their time, insight, and thoughtful evaluation of this year’s nominations:

• Ozgur Ince, Clinical Associate Professor, Darla Moore School of Business
• Hengtao Tang, Associate Professor, College of Education
• Amy Taylor-Perry, Senior Instructor, McCausland College of Arts and Sciences
• Scott Smith, Associate Professor, College of Hospitality, Retail, and Sport Management
• Sarah Williams, Professor, School of Music
• Shanna Williams, Clinical Associate Professor, School of Medicine Greenville