Professor J.W. Hammond won Michigan Tech's 2024 Distinguished Teaching Award. Image courtesy of MTU

J.W. Hammond has been announced as the recipient of Michigan Technological University’s 2024 Distinguished Teaching Award, in the Teaching Professor/Professor of Practice/Assistant Professor category. 

Hammond is an assistant professor of rhetoric and composition in Tech’s Department of Humanities. He received his Ph.D. in English from the University of Michigan in 2019. His research and teaching focus on writing studies, social justice, science and technology. Hammond began teaching at MTU in the fall of 2023. 

“We are immensely gratified by this well-deserved recognition of James’ efforts,” said Scott Marratto of the Department of Humanities in a press release announcing Hammond’s achievement. “We have only recently welcomed James as a new member of our faculty, but he is already making a major contribution to Michigan Tech.”

Ravindra Pandey, Dean of the College of Sciences and Arts, also expressed gratitude for Hammond, saying, “We are fortunate to have a teacher-scholar like Dr. Hammond … Hammond brings rhetoric and writing coursework to life, making it practical and stimulating for students.” 

In a recent Q&A on Michigan Tech’s blog, Hammond discussed how much he enjoys not only teaching, but being taught by his students.

“Most days when I come to class, it feels like my students teach me about as much as I teach them. Of course, it’s true that students always know things that we instructors don’t — but in classes where students are all pretty advanced in their own disciplines, and very few of them are humanities majors, it ends up being the case that my students have a lot of expertise I don’t,” Hammond said. “It’s equal parts exhilarating and humbling to be able to not only teach students, but also genuinely learn with and from them.” 

It’s clear Hammond greatly values his students and their education. He explained how his most memorable success stories are when former students, “have contacted me to let me know that while they signed up for my first course to fulfill a credit requirement, they want to sign up for another course — not because they need my course to graduate, but because they find the work we do so thought-provoking and fun. For me, that’s what the job’s all about.” 

Hammond also reflected on what inspired him to get into teaching. He said his high school debate teacher, Sally Squib, college professor Geraldine Heng, and doctoral adviser Anne Ruggles Gere played a huge role in the decision. They helped him gain confidence, think of himself as a writer, fall in love with history and research, and think of himself as a scholar and teacher. “I find myself hoping that I will make even a fraction of the impact on the lives of others that they have had on me,” Hammond added. As someone who personally took one of his classes, Hammond can rest assured that he’s making a wonderful impact, and that his talent deserves to be recognized through this award. 

Mary Christine Stevens is an MTU student and a Daily Mining Gazette intern.