Department of Music PhD candidate and graduate student teacher Mickey Vallee has been awarded a 2010 Faculty of Arts Graduate Teaching Award.
"All I bring to class is material and a sincere love for that material," explains Vallee. "All I can hope is that some of my enthusiasm rubs off on the students."
An interdisciplinary doctoral candidate in music and sociology with a specialization in popular music, media theory, and historical sociology, Vallee has been teaching MUSIC 103 (Introduction to Popular Music) since Fall 2006, and is teaching a 4th year seminar on popular music analysis (MUSIC 456) in Winter 2010. Vallee has also taught at Carleton University in Canadian popular music and teaches Media Culture & Society (SOC 344) for the Department of Sociology at the U of A.
"I am impressed with the inquisitive, intuitive, interested and bright nature of the students at the U of A. I've never met such an optimistic group of people who tackle each project at such an advanced rate and who produce such a high level of work," continues Vallee. "It is indicative of a University community which is open to the introduction and support of new learning opportunities. I look forward to and hope for the continued expansion of this type of beneficial learning."
The award recognizes quality instruction, fostering student engagement and success, and developing a culture of teaching, learning and scholarshop.
Congratulations, Mickey!