Yang “Wendy” Liu Award for Excellence in Teaching

Head shot of Yang "Wendy" Liu in front of colorful poster

Nominations are now open

Her pure honesty and intention was always felt by students and colleagues alike. To know Wendy was to be a better you.

About Wendy

The Yang Liu Award for Excellence in Teaching International Students was created in memory of Yang (Wendy) Liu in recognition of her leadership among IP-IALC faculty in a number of capacities.

Wendy was an Office of International Program’s Intensive American Language Center (IALC) faculty member who taught Intensive English at WSU for nearly a decade. She was a bilingual Chinese/English speaker with a fervent passion for teaching. She loved WSU, her students, and the IALC faculty.

Wendy demonstrated grace, empathy, and excellence in her teaching and service to the university. She helped pioneer many of our best practices in working with East Asian students and helped engage students and faculty outside the classroom. She always paid particular attention to creating an excellent teaching and learning environment for linguistically and culturally diverse students.

Wendy passed away from complications due to cancer in 2019.

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Yang Liu (Wendy)

Nominate a WSU Faculty or Staff Member

International students are standing parallel to a wall with their teacher, Wendy Liu, in the center. There is an open  laptop on a table in front of them.

The Yang (Wendy) Liu Award for Excellence in Teaching International Students is awarded once annually to a faculty member at WSU who demonstrates excellence in teaching international students at WSU by:

  1. Teaching or otherwise supporting understanding of academic integrity, plagiarism, and other matters as they relate to writing and citation at a U.S. university – and communicating this effectively to international students who are unused to these standards.
  2. Teaching or otherwise supporting students in active engagement, oral participation, group work, etc.
  3. Serving in an advisory or mentorship capacity for international students.
  4. Incorporating global perspectives/multiple perspectives within the classroom/curriculum.
  5. Showing evidence of flexibility in teaching style as it relates to international students.

How to nominate

Submit the Faculty & Staff Award Nomination Form and 1-page letter describing why you are nominating this person and outlining the individual’s award-worthy accomplishments. Send it via email to Dr. Kate Hellmann, Director of International Student and Scholar Services, at khellmann@wsu.edu.