UNC Asheville’s teacher named winner of Collegiate Teaching Award

Press release from UNC Asheville:

Sophie Mills, a UNC Asheville professor of classics who has shared an appreciation for the contributions of ancient Greek and Roman civilizations with countless UNC Asheville students, has been named the winner of the 2015 Collegiate Teaching Award from the Society for Classical Studies.

“We are thrilled to have one of our own win this prestigious national award,” said Associate Professor Lora Holland, chair of UNC Asheville’s Department of Classics. “This is only the second time in the history of the award (since 1979) that the awardee has hailed from North Carolina, and Sophie is the very first from the UNC system.”

Mills recently completed a three-year appointment as the university’s NEH Distinguished Teaching Professor in the Humanities and also chaired UNC Asheville’s Department of Classics from 1995-2011. A native of London, she completed her education in the U.K, earning her B.A. and M.A. degrees as well as her DPhil (Ph.D.) from Oxford University.

In announcing the award, the Society of Classical Studies said of Mills: She developed multiple new courses, many with interdisciplinary connections to other departments, and encouraged colleagues to bring their own new offerings on board.  She joined faculty from Math and Health & Wellness to create a summer study abroad program in Greece and Turkey.  She introduced new units on gender and on classical civilization to the college’s humanities core course, and linked her tragedy course to performance studies in the Drama Department.

“What gives her teaching such vitality is an enviable balance of rigor and generosity,” said faculty colleague Laurel Taylor, lecturer in classics. “Students are challenged thoroughly while supported completely in her classroom and it is this dynamic which is transformative and a catalyst for meaningful learning.”

Brian Hook, UNC Asheville director of humanities and associate professor of classics, said, “ In lower level language classes or in humanities classes, in which students are often daunted by the prospect of giving the ‘wrong’ answer, Sophie cultivates a sense of safety through her encouragement and her kindness. In upper level courses she inspires many students to do their best work.”

“Going to one of her classes is usually the highlight of the day,” said junior Elizabeth Hunt. Megan Milligan, also a junior, said of Mills, “She encourages us to challenge ourselves and others as long as we have the evidence to do so. It’s weird to say this, but I want a pocket version of her for the rest of my life, so she can still teach me things even after I graduate!”

Mills’ prior awards include the 2011 UNC Board of Governors Award for Excellence in Teaching, the Ruth and Leon Feldman Professorship with Distinction for Outstanding Scholarship and Service in 2006-07, the University Research Council Award for Scholarship and Creative Activities in 2006, and the Distinguished Teaching in the Humanities award in 2003.

Mills will receive her award on Jan. 8 when the Society for Classical Studies convenes its national conference in San Francisco.

For more information on the award, visit https://classicalstudies.org/awards-and-fellowships/2015/collegiate-teaching-award-sophie-mills#sthash.fZH3W8KA.dpuf and to learn more about the UNC Asheville Department of Classics, visit classics.unca.edu.