Sheedy Award for Excellence in Teaching
The Sheedy Award for Excellence in Teaching is presented annually to an outstanding teacher in the College of Arts & Letters.
The Sheedy Award — founded in 1970 in honor of Rev. Charles E. Sheedy, C.S.C., who served as dean of the College from 1952 to 1968 — acknowledges a faculty member who has sustained excellence in research and instruction over a wide range of courses. This individual motivates and enriches students using innovative and creative teaching methods, and influences teaching and learning within the department, College, and University.
Faculty can be nominated for the award by peers and students.
Submit nominations by April 13, 2026
2025 Award Recipient
Mark Roche
Rev. Edmund Joyce, C.S.C., Professor of German Language and Literature
Mark Roche’s interest in literature and philosophy began as undergraduate at Williams College, where he played water polo, majored in the History of Ideas, juggled in the band, and wrote a senior thesis on the poet Friedrich Hölderlin. After weighing Clown College versus a fellowship to Germany, Roche opted for the latter, earning a graduate degree with a thesis on the great humorist Hegel. Roche then pursued a path that combined the neighboring fields of German literature and philosophy. While teaching at Ohio State for 12 years, Roche regularly taught film and, despite being a German professor, occasionally taught comedy.
During his 11 years as the I.A. O’Shaughnessy Dean of the College of Arts and Letters at Notre Dame, where he juggled many obligations, he added higher education as a fourth area of teaching and scholarship. As a faculty member in the Department of German, Slavic, and Eurasian Studies, he teaches courses including Faith, Doubt, and Reason; Self, Society, and the Sacred; and Philosophy and Film.
Roche will receive the Sheedy Award for Excellence in Teaching at the Sheedy Award Presentation on Tuesday, December 2, 2025, from 3:30 to 4:15 p.m. in 216/216 McKenna Hall.
“Professor Roche taught me far more than content. He taught me how to think expansively, engage deeply with ideas, and remain intellectually curious in every setting. His classroom was, put simply, a place to become a full person.” — Nomination letter from a former student
Previous Award Recipients
| Year | Recipient | Media | Department |
|---|---|---|---|
|
2025 |
Mark Roche | Video, Speech, News story | German, Slavic, and Eurasian Studies |
|
2024 |
Fr. Kevin Grove, C.S.C. | Video, Speech, News story | Theology |
|
2023 |
Eric Sims | Video, Speech, News story | Economics |
| 2022 | John Duffy | Video, Speech, News story | English |
| 2021 | Kathleen Sprows Cummings | Video, Speech, News story | American Studies and History |
| 2020 | Pamela Wojcik | Video, Speech, News story | Film, Television, and Theatre |
| 2019 | Jason Ruiz | Video, Speech, News story | American Studies |
| 2018 | Ernesto Verdeja | Video, Speech, News story | Political Science |
| 2017 | Jessica Collett | Video, Speech, News story | Sociology |
| 2016 | Marisel Moreno | Video, Speech, News story | Romance Languages and Literatures |
| 2015 | Robert Sedlack | Video | Art, Art History, and Design |
| 2014 | John Sitter | Video, Speech | English |
| 2013 | Julia Douthwaite | Video | Romance Languages and Literatures |
| 2012 | Peter Holland | Video, Speech | Film, Television, and Theatre |
| 2011 | Thomas F.X. Noble | Speech | History |
| 2010 | James Collins | Speech | Film, Television, and Theatre |
| 2009 | Richard Pierce | Speech | Africana Studies |
| 2008 | James McKenna | Speech | Anthropology |
| 2007 | Daniel Myers | Speech | Sociology |
| 2006 | Christian Moevs | Speech | Romance Languages and Literatures |
| 2005 | Gail Bederman (co-recipient) | Speech | History |
| 2005 | William Ramsey (co-recipient) | Speech | Philosophy |
| 2004 | William H. Leahy (co-recipient) | Speech | Economics and Policy Studies |
| 2004 | A. Peter Walshe (co-recipient) | Speech | Political Science |
| 2003 | Valerie Sayers | Speech | English |
| 2002 | Andrew Weigert | Student reflections: Christopher Broughton, Eugene Kang, and Sarah MacMillen | Sociology |
| 2001 | Stephen M. Fallon (co-recipient) | Speech | Program of Liberal Studies |
| 2001 | Wilson “Bill” Miscamble, C.S.C. (co-recipient) | Speech | History |
| 2000 | Reginald F. Bain | Speech | Film, Television, and Theatre |
| 1999 | Douglas Kinsey | Speech | Art, Art History, and Design |
| 1998 | Erskine Peters | English | |
| 1997 | Frederick J. Crosson | Program of Liberal Studies | |
| 1996 | Catherine LaCugna | Theology | |
| 1995 | A. James McAdams | Government and Int’l Relations | |
| 1994 | Rev. Robert Kerby | History | |
| 1993 | Jeanne Day (co-recipient) | Psychology | |
| 1993 | Timothy Scully (co-recipient) | Government and Int’l Relations | |
| 1992 | Thomas Swartz | Economics | |
| 1991 | William Krier | English | |
| 1990 | Sonia G. Gernes | English | |
| 1989 | Richard F. Foley | Philosophy | |
| 1988 | Rev. George Minamiki, S.J. | Modern & Classical Languages | |
| 1987 | Cornelius Delaney | Philosophy | |
| 1986 | James O. Bellis | Anthropology | |
| 1985 | M. Katherine Tillman | Program of Liberal Studies | |
| 1984 | Frank Bonello | Economics | |
| 1983 | John Roos | Government and Int’l Relations | |
| 1983 | Paul Rathburn | English | |
| 1982 | Sheilah Brennan | Philosophy | |
| 1981 | Thomas Werge | English | |
| 1980 | Donald Sniegowski | English | |
| 1979 | Rev. Thomas Blantz, C.S.C. | History | |
| 1978 | Rev. John Dunne, C.S.C. | Theology | |
| 1977 | Edward Cronin | Program of Liberal Studies | |
| 1976 | Ernest Sandeen | English | |
| 1975 | Matthew Fitzsimons | History | |
| 1974 | Michael Loux | Philosophy | |
| 1973 | Robert Vacca | Modern & Classical Languages | |
| 1972 | William Storey | Theology | |
| 1971 | Frank O’Malley | English | |
| 1970 | Joseph Evans | Philosophy |