Doyle Humanities Teaching Award Goes to Paul Formisano
Formisano joined the university in 2012 and has taught courses ranging from general education classes through graduate seminars, including Composition I and II, Introduction to Literature, American Literature, The West in American Literature, and capstone courses in Environmental Literature.
One of Formisano’s favorite classes to teach is the capstone course, in which senior English majors synthesize what they have learned in the program and demonstrate their critical thinking and writing skills. In last year’s Environmental Literature capstone course, Formisano asked students to formulate connections between the course materials and the bioregion.
“I love the capstone class for the flexibility it offers regarding course instruction methods,” he said. “It has been very rewarding to see students engaging with course materials and then reflecting on those at Spirit Mound or along the Missouri River. In such settings students tend to understand course concepts more clearly and see how they relate to their personal lives.”
As the director of writing, Formisano also directs the graduate student teaching assistants in the English department. Fostering their development as new instructors is another facet of his teaching responsibilities.
“I really enjoy working closely with the graduate students over two semesters and seeing their growth as instructors,” he said. “Many of them are new to teaching and are quite overwhelmed by the balancing act they must do as instructors and students. It’s impressive to see the amount of growth and confidence they develop.”
Formisano’s approach to teaching aims to connect students’ humanities training with current issues so they can develop a clearer context and purpose for their course work.
“I want students to see the value in and relevance of a humanities education in addressing today’s challenges—that the stories we tell and how we communicate our ideas have significant influence in shaping our world.”
The Doyle award is made possible thanks to a gift from Monsignor James Michael Doyle (1931– 2021), former chair of religious studies at USD and a prominent theologian inducted into the South Dakota Hall of Fame. The award is presented annually to an outstanding teacher in the Humanities Division of the College of Arts & Sciences.You May Also Like
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