Matthew Evans named Russell Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching honoree

Matthew Evans, associate professor in the Department of Entertainment and Media Studies, has been named one of three recipients of the Richard B. Russell Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching, the university’s highest early-career honor for outstanding and innovative instruction.

The other two faculty recipients are Gaelen R. Burke, professor of entomology in the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences and Ingie Hovland, assistant professor of religion and women’s and gender studies in the Franklin College of Arts and Sciences.

“This year’s recipients of the Richard B. Russell Awards have demonstrated a passion for advancing excellence in undergraduate instruction at the University of Georgia,” said Benjamin C. Ayers, the university’s senior vice president for academic affairs and provost. “Their use of innovative teaching approaches and their embrace of active-learning principles create a rigorous, engaging and valuable classroom experience for their students.”

The Russell Awards recognize faculty early in their academic careers who have demonstrated a commitment to student success through creative and original teaching and effective mentoring. Each recipient receives a $10,000 award supported by the Richard B. Russell Foundation in Atlanta.

Evans specializes in screenwriting and focuses on preparing students for professional careers in the film and television industry. He designed and continues to teach the popular screenwriting workshop “Writing for Television” and leads required introductory and advanced writing courses, as well as a First-Year Odyssey seminar.

Evans uses a workshop methodology that mirrors a professional writers’ room environment. This approach prioritizes revision as a critical component of the writing process, with a grading philosophy centered on student improvement rather than the immediate production of a polished final product. In these sessions he encourages students to take ownership of their creative growth and gain confidence in their artistic voices.

“My ultimate goal as a teacher, beyond students earning festival accolades or industry awards, is for them to harness and have confidence in their own unique voices and to be willing to engage in open dialogue with one another,” Evans said.

Evans’ commitment to professional excellence is evident by his mentees, who have earned 21 national awards for their creative work. Students frequently describe him as a “shining light” whose workshop-style classes foster a collaborative and supportive environment for constructive criticism and intellectual growth.

Nominations for the Russell Awards are submitted by deans and reviewed by a committee of senior faculty members and undergraduate students. Tenure-track faculty members who have worked at UGA for at least three years and no more than 10 years are eligible to be nominated.

Author: Mike Wooten, mwooten@uga.edu

Editor: Sarah Freeman, freemans@uga.edu