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The Celebration of Education winners stand with CMU President Farnam Jahanian and Provost Jim Garrett (right)
April 16, 2026

CMU Recognizes Educational Leaders Across Campus

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Each spring, the Carnegie Mellon University community gathers for its Celebration of Education Awards, which honor outstanding contributions in the areas of teaching, mentorship, service and educational innovation. This year’s ceremony was held on Wednesday, April 15.

The 2026 Celebration of Education Award recipients are:

Additional College Teaching Awards honor exemplary teaching by faculty members within the seven schools and colleges at CMU. Each college selects its  own recipient(s) based on specific criteria, and winners are chosen throughout the academic year, depending on the college's award cycle. See the 2025-2026 awardees.

Robert E. Doherty Award for Sustained Contributions to Excellence in Education

Sharon Carver
Professor of Psychology; Emeritus Director, Children’s School; Associate Dean for Educational Affairs, Dietrich College of Humanities and Social Science

Sharon Carver


For more than three decades, Sharon Carver has shaped Carnegie Mellon University’s educational landscape through exceptional knowledge, tireless dedication and deep personal devotion to her students, faculty and the university at large.

As director of CMU's Children’s School, teaching professor of psychology and associate dean for educational affairs at Dietrich College of Humanities and Social Sciences, Carver has built programs that bridge research and practice, keeping students at the center.

“What I believe to be most remarkable about Dr. Carver is that she can simultaneously create and execute projects at an institutional scale and still make students — college-age and preschool alike — feel like her first priority,” said Lucy Truschel (DC 2019).

As director of the Children’s School, Carver created a supportive and stimulating environment for teachers and children ages 3-5, as well as for students and faculty who relied on the school as a laboratory for research. 

“Many of us have sent our own children there,” said Richard Scheines, Bess Family Dean of the Dietrich College of Humanities and Social Sciences. “There is no higher praise.”

Carver helped found the Pittsburgh Alliance of University Schools and has been a key contributor to the International Association of Laboratory Schools.

“Sharon is an inspiration to everyone I know in the laboratory school world,” said Jill Sarada, director of the Falk Laboratory School at the University of Pittsburgh.

At CMU, she has played an equally instrumental role in developing a vibrant educational research community. Alongside David Klahr, Carver led the Program in Interdisciplinary Educational Research (PIER), a Ph.D. fellows program that engaged more than 100 students from more than 15 CMU departments.

Numerous alumni cited Carver’s PIER course Educational Goals, Instruction, and Assessment as transformative. Not only did it make them better educators, but it also instilled in them a sense of belonging.

“Dr. Carver invited us into her home, going beyond her duty as an educator,” said Lindsay Cox (DC 2019, 2022). 

Carver has championed other pathways to graduate education, including the Summer Program for Undergraduate Researchers and the Dietrich College Scholars program, which she co-leads with Ayana Ledford.

Recently, Carver played a key role in the revision and implementation of Dietrich College’s General Education Program. 

“She led the establishment of a general education program for students that is not just checking boxes of course requirements. Instead, she has implemented a core education philosophy, a community of practice and a learning environment that allows all students to grow in multiple competencies, develop a sense of belonging and purpose, and engage in high-impact educational practices,” said Amy Burkert, senior vice provost for academic initiatives.

The General Education Program helps students build skills necessary to communicate and collaboratively solve complex problems from interdisciplinary perspectives in a multicultural, global society. In addition, Carver ensured the program was centered on measurable learning outcomes.

“We all talk a lot about empirically driven iterative improvement in education. Sharon actually gets it to happen,” Scheines said.

Across every role, Carver makes a difference.

“She is always ready to lend a helping hand, share her expertise and wisdom for someone else's benefit, and support those around her to be and do their best,” said Marsha Lovett, vice provost for teaching and learning innovation. “We are lucky to have Sharon in our CMU community.”

— Abby Simmons

William H. and Frances S. Ryan Award for Meritorious Teaching

Gregory Kesden
Associate Teaching Professor, Electrical and Computer Engineering, College of Engineering

Gregory Kesden


In classrooms defined by rigor and complexity, Gregory Kesden has built an environment where students not only succeed, but come to believe in themselves.

For more than 25 years at Carnegie Mellon University, Kesden has shaped the educational experiences of thousands of students across electrical and computer engineering and computer science. His impact is best understood not in numbers, but in transformation. His guiding philosophy, “sell students to themselves,” captures his teaching approach that emphasizes confidence as much as competence, and the belief that education is an act of empowerment. Students routinely describe his courses as the most challenging of their academic careers, but also the most rewarding.

“I can say with the utmost confidence that Professor Kesden has been one of the most dedicated professors and mentors I have had the honor of working with here at Carnegie Mellon University,” wrote Lakshmi Adiga, a senior in electrical and computer engineering.

Kesden’s dedication spans beyond the classroom. He has served as the head coach of Carnegie Mellon's internationally renowned programming team, the director of regional programming contests, the teaching assistant program coordinator for computer science, and the director of educational computing for the School of Computer Science, to name a few. 

Kesden has led efforts to modernize the curriculum, connecting foundational concepts to real-world applications and adapting quickly to new challenges, from remote learning during the pandemic to the evolving role of generative AI in education. He also invests deeply in mentoring teaching assistants, cultivating future educators who carry forward his emphasis on clarity, empathy and student-centered teaching.

Known for his extraordinary accessibility, Kesden opens his schedule for one-on-one meetings and works closely with students facing academic or personal challenges. He has helped build targeted support systems that address not only coursework, but also confidence and well-being. Colleagues and students point to his willingness to go above and beyond, ensuring that no student is left behind.

For his students, the outcome is lasting. They leave not only with technical knowledge, but with confidence, resilience and a belief in their own potential — an impact that endures long after the course is over.

His nominators state, “Professor Kesden exemplifies the spirit of this award through his sustained record of transformative teaching, pedagogical innovation and deep mentorship that has shaped the educational experience of countless students in Electrical and Computer Engineering and Computer Science at Carnegie Mellon University.”

— Krista Burns

Award for Outstanding Contributions to Academic Advising and Mentoring

Heather Workinger Midgley
Senior Academic Advisor for Undergraduate Studies, School of Architecture 
Associate Adjunct Faculty, College of Fine Arts

Heather Workinger Midgley advising a student


Heather Workinger Midgley has spent two decades redefining what academic advising and mentoring can mean at CMU. As the sole undergraduate academic adviser for the School of Architecture, Workinger Midgley annually guides about 275 students through one of the most demanding degree programs on campus, the five-year Bachelor of Architecture. Yet what distinguishes her work is not the scale of her responsibility, but the depth, care and creativity with which she meets it.

From their first semester, students encounter advising not as a transactional checklist but as a relationship grounded in trust and belonging. Workinger Midgley pioneered the university’s first group advising seminar, a model that has since been replicated across campus. These seminars, now formalized as first- and second-year courses, combine academic planning, wellness, professional development and peer mentorship, providing students with clarity, community and agency during critical transitions. Workinger Midgley demystifies institutional systems, introduces students directly to campus partners and helps them reflect intentionally on how they learn, work and grow.

As a first-generation student, Workinger Midgley saw the need to create navigable points of entry into college life. She partners with the College of Fine Arts’ Office of Engagement & Belonging to have students and faculty develop community agreements that define healthy boundaries for the first-year cohort. These dynamic changes reflect her dedication to modeling studio life as an empowering first step in students’ professional lives.

Workinger Midgley’s advising practice is data-informed and relentlessly student-centered. She maintains longitudinal data on interdisciplinary pathways, using it to help students envision meaningful combinations of majors and minors and to guide curricular improvements. When she observed rising stress and barriers to students seeking help, she created a biannual wellness survey that invites honest reflection and allows for early, compassionate intervention. The surveys are part of a proactive wellness program that blends strategic study breaks, community-building events, and thoughtful follow-up, efforts that students and colleagues alike credit with transforming the culture of the School of Architecture.

What may be most remarkable about Workinger Midgley’s efforts is her unwavering advocacy for students navigating adversity. Time and again, colleagues note that when a case is complex or urgent, “It’s Heather, so we know it will be handled with care.” She partners seamlessly with faculty, deans, student support offices and external units to ensure students facing academic, medical, financial or personal challenges are never left to navigate them alone. Many students who once doubted they could persist credit Workinger Midgley with helping them remain enrolled, find alternative pathways or graduate with confidence and purpose.

Workinger Midgley’s influence extends beyond students. She is a mentor to fellow advisers, a trusted interpreter of policy and a builder of advising culture across the College of Fine Arts. Her generosity, institutional knowledge and calm wisdom elevate everyone around her.

At its core, Workinger Midgley’s advising is an act of profound belief in students’ capacity to grow, to recover and to imagine futures they may not yet see for themselves. That belief, sustained over 20 years of service, embodies the highest ideals of academic advising and mentoring.

— Meredith Marsh

Barbara Lazarus Award for Graduate Student and Junior Faculty Mentoring

Vivian Loftness
University Professor and Paul Mellon Chair in Architecture, College of Fine Arts
Co-Director, Center for Building Performance & Diagnostics, School of Architecture

Vivian Loftness


For generations of graduate students and junior faculty at Carnegie Mellon, one name consistently emerges as synonymous with mentorship at its very best: Vivian Loftness. Over a career spanning more than four decades, she has shaped not only the fields of research and practice, but lives, careers and cultures of care that extend far beyond campus.

A University Professor, the Paul Mellon Chair of Architecture and former head of the School of Architecture, Loftness is internationally recognized for her scholarship in sustainable and healthy buildings. Yet those who know her best speak first not of titles or accolades, but of her presence as a mentor — steadfast, generous and transformative. From the moment students enter the Building Performance & Diagnostics (BPD) master’s and Ph.D. programs, she meets them with clarity, patience and deep respect for their potential. She holds high expectations, while providing the structure, encouragement and humanity needed for her students to meet them.

Loftness has advised more than 100 master’s theses and over 40 doctoral dissertations, many by students navigating interdisciplinary research, international transitions or nontraditional academic paths. Her mentorship model is developmental and empowering. She demonstrates leadership, then gradually hands it over, instilling confidence and independence. Former students now serve as tenured faculty, research leaders and practitioners across the globe, and many of them describe her influence as foundational to how they now mentor others.

What distinguishes Loftness’ mentorship is how seamlessly intellectual rigor is paired with personal care. She understands that academic excellence is inseparable from well-being and belonging. Students recall not only her incisive feedback on research questions and methods, but also her open door, her invitations to community gatherings and her quiet advocacy during moments of crisis or doubt. For international students and early-career faculty in particular, she has been a stabilizing force — someone who demystifies unwritten rules, opens pathways and makes people feel they belong in spaces that can otherwise feel forbidding.

Loftness’ commitment to equity and inclusion is longstanding and deeply practiced. She has dedicated her career to paying it forward — advancing women, scholars of color and emerging faculty through sustained, individualized support. During her tenure as head of the School of Architecture, she mentored multiple faculty members through promotion and tenure, and she continues to guide junior colleagues with generosity and discretion. In a powerful act of leadership, she has stepped aside from formal roles, including as track chair of the BPD program, to create space for the next generation, modeling what mentorship rooted in abundance truly looks like.

Barbara Lazarus, this award’s namesake, believed that mentorship was an act of courage, compassion and responsibility. Loftness, who was mentored by Lazarus herself, embodies that belief daily. Her mentorship does not end at graduation or promotion; it endures, multiplies, and shapes the future of the academy itself. Honoring Loftness with the Barbara Lazarus Award is not only a celebration of an extraordinary mentor, but a recognition of a legacy that will continue to ripple for decades.

— Meredith Marsh

Mark Gelfand Service Award for Educational Outreach

Michael Young
Associate Professor of Mathematical Sciences, Associate Dean for Community Engagement, Mellon College of Science

Michael Young speaks to a student


A leader committed to expanding access to STEM education and careers, Michael Young champions educational outreach and has reshaped how science — mathematical science, in particular — connects communities at Carnegie Mellon University and beyond. 

Young, an associate professor in the Department of Mathematical Sciences and associate dean for community engagement in the Mellon College of Science, has started a number of nationwide initiatives and held several leadership roles geared toward addressing inequity in education, including being a key member of the CMU Rales Fellows Program and the Learnvia initiative, a collaborative effort to bolster math skills in learners of all types.

“His career is a masterclass in sustained, high-impact community engagement, effectively bridging the gap between the rigorous academic environment of Carnegie Mellon University and the vital educational needs of our local and national communities,” said M. Shernell Smith, associate dean and executive director of the Center for Student Diversity and Inclusion.

At the Mellon College, Young, a CMU alumnus, champions a model where undergraduate and graduate students are active participants in outreach. Under his leadership, students serve as mentors, instructors and research assistants, gaining firsthand experience applying advanced mathematics in real‑world contexts. This “two‑way street” of learning fosters empathy, civic responsibility and a deep understanding that technical expertise carries a responsibility to serve the broader community. 

Through programs such as the Summer Academy for Math and Science (SAMS) for high school students, Young has helped high‑achieving, underrepresented high school students see themselves as scholars and problem-solvers. He reframes mathematics as a tool for social and intellectual empowerment while introducing advanced ideas such as game theory.

His intentional approach to partnership is exemplified through the Data Analytics for Science Immersion Experience (DASIE), which connects underrepresented students with corporate leaders. The program provides early exposure to data science careers, equipping students with technical skills and the social capital needed to thrive in the modern workforce. 

He leads the MCS Summer Scholars program, which brings together undergraduate students primarily from liberal arts colleges to conduct research in mathematical sciences, physics, chemistry, biology and computational projects.

Young also founded and led the ASCEND Mentor Network, a multi-institutional initiative initially funded by the National Science Foundation’s Directorate for Mathematics and Physical Sciences. Designed to support postdoctoral fellows and early career scholars in chemistry, astronomy, mathematics, physics and materials science, the program offered structured mentorship, an engaged network and professional development.

John Mackey, a teaching professor in mathematics and computer science, was one of Young’s advisers and is now a colleague.

“He is one of the more insightful and talented human beings I have worked with in the last 40 years,” Mackey said. “We are so very fortunate to have him here.”

For his ongoing efforts to empower students at every level, Young won this year’s Mark Gelfand Award for Educational Outreach, which is given to a member of the CMU community who has combined sustained, effective community service with academic coursework and a deliberate process of student reflection to enhance the learning experience, teach social responsibility and improve some aspect of life in the community.

— Heidi Opdyke

Teaching Innovation Award

Coty Jen
Associate Professor, Chemical Engineering, College of Engineering

Coty Jen


When associate professor of chemical engineering Coty Jen developed the “Reacting with Nature” project, she recognized the need to integrate environmental sustainability and community-based learning into the curriculum for chemical engineering majors at Carnegie Mellon University. 

“Reacting with Nature” is a semester-long, community-based project that connects students with real-world problems encountered in the sustainable water reuse system operated by the Center for Sustainable Landscapes (CSL), a part of Phipps Conservatory. 

The project is part of the Chemical Reaction Engineering course, which is a requirement for juniors pursuing chemical engineering. Jen, the recipient of the university’s Teaching Innovation Award, redesigned this course to pivot from its previous petrochemical focus to one that examines the challenges of environmental resilience and sustainable development. 

Through the project, students apply core reaction engineering principles to the design and analysis of sustainable water reuse systems.

“By collaborating with community partners, our students are learning to develop solutions to the real-world problems they will face as chemical engineers,” Jen said. “It is important that their education is aligned with the current and future needs of our changing world.” 

The project culminates in a public poster session where students present their findings to both technical and nontechnical audiences. This sharpens their communication skills and affords them the opportunity to translate complex engineering concepts to a broader audience. 

In developing the project, Jen teamed up with previous students who helped to craft its learning plan and curriculum. These students in turn became mentors to the current students. 

Jen and her team presented the model for “Reacting with Nature” at the American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE) annual meeting in November 2025. 

“Jen’s work demonstrates how chemical engineering pedagogy can evolve to meet the demands of a changing world by empowering students to become thoughtful and responsible engineers for society,” said Aditya Khair, professor and associate head of chemical engineering. “Her approach not only enhances student learning and engagement but also provides a replicable model for other courses and institutions seeking to integrate sustainability and community-based learning.”

Jen leads the Jen Research Lab, where she examines the life cycle of aerosol particles in the atmosphere and how these particles ultimately affect air quality and the environment. Her work is part of Carnegie Mellon University’s Center for Atmospheric Particle Studies. 

— Lisa Kulick

Graduate Student Teaching Award

Luis Garcia
Doctoral Student, School of Design, College of Fine Arts

Luis Garcia teaching students


Luis Garcia, a Ph.D. researcher and teaching fellow in Carnegie Mellon University’s School of Design, is the recipient of the 2026 Graduate Student Teaching Award, which celebrates graduate students who demonstrate outstanding effectiveness in the classroom, inclusive teaching practices and a strong commitment to student learning. 

Garcia’s work spans both design education and pedagogical mentorship through his role as a senior teaching consultant fellow at the Eberly Center for Teaching Excellence and Educational Innovation, where he supports graduate student instructors and postdoctoral fellows in strengthening their teaching through evidence-based strategies.

An Ecuadorian designer, Garcia’s research explores the role of design in transdisciplinary collaboration to address complex, “wicked” problems. His work focuses on fostering critical consciousness in nonexpert designers and expanding how design can operate across diverse contexts, an approach that shapes both his teaching and mentorship.

Garcia described his reaction to receiving the award as being  appreciative and surprised. “Several people keep telling me how big a deal this is, but with my defense happening a couple of days after, I haven’t had time to fully reflect on what this means,” he said. “I appreciate the people who nominated me, as well as all the faculty, students and clients who submitted letters and anecdotes about my teaching. The process had several components, and I was already happy to know that folks were willing to spend some time putting the application package together.”

In the classroom, Garcia encourages students to embrace uncertainty and expand their understanding of the field. “I hope they develop some comfort with ambiguity and complexity,” he said. “I also hope students realize that there is so much more to explore in design than they might think. It is easy to fall into the trap of having only one narrow view of the field and miss out on a world of possibilities available to a designer. If I triggered at least some curiosity about what design is beyond conventional views, I call that a win.”

Through his consulting work at the Eberly Center, Garcia focuses on helping future educators recognize teaching as a skill that can be developed. “Sometimes people think that a good public speaker makes a good instructor or that only some are born with a gift for teaching. And of course, that is not the case,” he said. “If I helped the close to 90 people I worked with believe in their potential to become instructors, that’s a win.”

Before coming to Carnegie Mellon, Garcia worked on international and collaborative projects, including organizing national open innovation initiatives on sustainable urban mobility in Ecuador in partnership with organizations such as CEDIA and GIZ. His experience spans public space, health care, curriculum design and community engagement, including work with the Indianapolis Cultural Trail and the Indiana Clinical and Translational Sciences Institute’s Research Jam program.

— Joe Lyons

Graduate Student Service Award

Carolina Colombo Tedesco
Doctoral Student, Chemical Engineering, College of Engineering

Carolina Colombo Tedesco speaking with a student


Carolina Colombo Tedesco believes a support system is critical for scientific success. She’s spent her time as a chemical engineering Ph.D. student dedicated to fostering such a system in support of her peers. Her effort has earned her the 2026 Graduate Student Service Award, highlighting her role as leader and researcher. 

Tedesco’s impact is exemplified by her leadership within the Chemical Engineering Graduate Student Organization (ChEGSA). As president, she moved beyond traditional event planning activities to address structural gaps in the student experience, including her effort building the Alumni-Student Mentorship Program. 

For Tedesco, the value of this program was in the connection itself. "Seeing that alumni were willing to give their most valuable asset — their time — to chat with current students shows how they like to stay connected with the department," she said. By creating a platform where doctoral students engage with alumni for insights into the real world, she ensured the Department of Chemical Engineering remains a community for students beyond graduation.

She also initiated the creation of student-led faculty awards. "We wanted to formalize the recognition of the support faculty give to graduate students, which makes such a difference in department culture," Tedesco said.

With input from professors, she also improved the structure of the Mock Qualifier Exams, managing the logistics to help students navigate their most stressful academic milestone. "It was very rewarding to see everyone taking it seriously," she said. "The students acting as the committee were really there to help their peers, and the presenters were open for their questions and input."

Serving as a bridge between students and faculty taught her that effective leadership is rooted in accessibility. "Just by caring, showing up, and being open to talk to people, you can make a difference," Tedesco said. At CMU, she has applied this mindset to her service, treating leadership as a learning process. "We have a lot of ideas and not a lot of time to put them into practice,” she said. “I learned it’s better to simplify an idea and make a version of it happen than never bringing it to life."

As she balances her own scientific research with her community service, Tedesco continues to prove that helping build a community is a true part of the CMU experience.

— Rachana Senthil

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