Six faculty have been recognized with the 2026 Garnet Apple Award for Teaching Innovation for advancing student learning through applied, high-impact teaching practices. Their work reflects a range of teaching practices, including experiential learning, interdisciplinary collaboration, and the integration of emerging technologies to strengthen engagement and course design. The award recognizes faculty who design learning experiences that emphasize application, student engagement, and clear connections between course content and real-world practice.
Awardees are selected through a competitive, peer-reviewed process that highlights innovation and impact across disciplines and campuses. This year’s recipients will be recognized at Oktoberbest: A Symposium on Teaching, scheduled for Friday, October 23, 2026.
2026 Garnet Apple Award Recipients
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Betsy Blake, Clinical Professor and Director of Interprofessional Education for the Health Sciences, College of Pharmacy, uses case-based learning, real-time assessment, and interprofessional experiences to strengthen clinical reasoning across the PharmD curriculum. Experiential models such as Students Wearing External Glucose Monitors to Educate and Treat Patients with Diabetes Mellitus (SWEET-DM) and expanded collaboration support applied learning and student engagement. |
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Amy Gerald, Assistant Professor, USC Lancaster, integrates experiential and community-connected learning to strengthen writing, critical thinking, and communication. Project-based and ethnographic assignments connect students with real-world contexts and external audiences. |
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Alison Huppmann, Clinical Associate Professor, School of Medicine Greenville, uses active and integrative learning strategies to connect foundational knowledge with clinical application. Case-based instruction and interdisciplinary activities support clinical reasoning and preparation for practice. |
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Ayse Ozturk, Clinical Associate Professor, Darla Moore School of Business, integrates AI tools, simulations, and real-world challenges to support applied learning in marketing. These strategies strengthen strategic thinking, responsible technology use, and career readiness. |
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Sarah Rogers, Senior Instructor, McCausland College of Arts and Sciences, uses dialogue, reflection, and community-based learning to engage students in critical examination of systems within criminology. Student-driven projects and interdisciplinary approaches connect course content to real-world issues. |
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Stephanie Schaller, Clinical Assistant Professor, College of Nursing, integrates experiential and case-based learning, including escape rooms and interactive models, to support clinical reasoning and knowledge application. Innovative tools and course design strengthen engagement in practice-based contexts. |
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Thank You to the Review Committee
The CTE extends thanks to the 2026 Garnet Apple Award Review Committee for their time, insight, and thoughtful evaluation of this year’s nominations:
- Ozgur Ince, Clinical Associate Professor, Finance, Darla Moore School of Business
- Eilea Knotts, Instructional Faculty, Lab Coordinator, Biological Sciences, McCausland College of Arts and Sciences
- Sam Mcquillin, Associate Professor, Psychology, McCausland College of Arts and Sciences
- Scott Smith, Associate Professor, School of Hospitality and Tourism Management, College of Hospitality, Retail and Sport Management
- Sarah Williams, Professor, School of Music
- Shanna Williams, Clinical Associate Professor, Biomedical Sciences, School of Medicine Greenville
Their work contributes to ongoing efforts to strengthen teaching practices and expand high-impact learning experiences across the university.