Two faculty members in the University of South Florida (USF) College of Education were selected to receive the 2021-22 Margaret Burlington Tritle Excellence in Teaching Faculty Award, an annual award presented to college faculty members who demonstrate exemplary teaching.
This year’s award recipients are Cheryl Ellerbrock, PhD, an associate professor at USF’s Tampa campus, and Jane Govoni, PhD, an assistant professor of instruction at USF’s Sarasota-Manatee campus.
The Margaret Burlington Tritle Excellence in Teaching Faculty Award was created in 2017 through a gift made to the College of Education by USF alumnus Lawrence Tritle to honor his late wife’s teaching legacy. Faculty recipients receive an award to support their research, professional travel and other activities related to teaching and scholarship at USF.
Learn more about each of the recipients below.
Cheryl Ellerbrock, PhD
Cheryl Ellerbrock, PhD
Dr. Ellerbrock is an associate professor of social science, middle grades and general
secondary education in the Department of Curriculum, Instruction and Learning. As
a faculty member at USF’s Tampa campus, Dr. Ellerbrock teaches undergraduate courses
in middle grades education, clinical education and secondary classroom management.
Much of her work focuses on middle-level teacher preparation and the preparation of
responsive teacher educators.
In addition to her teaching responsibilities, Dr. Ellerbrock also serves as co-coordinator
of the Helios STEM Middle School Residency Program, a donor-supported program that
produces, supports and enhances the retention of middle grades STEM educators. Last
fall, Dr. Ellerbrock collaborated with Hillsborough County Public Schools to secure
guaranteed teaching positions for all students graduating from the residency program.
“It is truly an honor to be recognized as a faculty recipient of the Margaret Burlington
Tritle Undergraduate Teaching Award,” Dr. Ellerbrock said. “Like Margaret, teaching
and reaching young adolescents at the middle level is my passion…I truly believe teachers
are the cornerstone of our society and that our future, all our hopes and dreams,
reside in the youth they teach. Teaching is my way of inspiring today’s youth to be
their very best self.”
Jane Govoni, PhD
Jane Govoni, PhD
Dr. Govoni is an assistant professor of instruction in the Department of Language, Literacy, EdD, Exceptional Education and Physical Education. Her background includes teaching Spanish at the secondary and college levels and Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) to pre-service teachers.
At USF, Dr. Govoni teaches undergraduate courses in English Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) at the Sarasota-Manatee campus and trains pre-service teachers on ways to support English learners in the Pre-K-12 classroom. In addition to her teaching responsibilities, Dr. Govoni also serves as coordinator of the college’s ESOL program.
“I am truly humbled to be a recipient of this award,” Dr. Govoni said. “…We are all aware that teachers have many roles in the classroom and adding in students who may speak little to no English can be a daunting task. I strive to teach future teachers ways to effectively communicate, teach and assess non-English speakers and more importantly, on ways to motivate and inspire their students to have a sincere passion for learning.”
About the USF College of Education:
Home to more than 2,200 students and 130 faculty members, the University of South
Florida College of Education values high-quality education and excellence in research,
teaching and learning. The College of Education is nationally accredited by the Council
for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP) and its educator preparation
programs are fully approved by the Florida Department of Education.