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December 31, 2014

Dan J. Wedemeyer Excellence in Teaching Award

“Nothing is more exhilarating than leaving a classroom at the end of a session with the feeling that you could make a difference.”

—Chamil Rahnayake, first recipient Dan J. Wedemeyer Excellence in Teaching Award


Setsuko and Dan Wedemeyer

Dr. Dan Wedemeyer taught at UH Mānoa School of Communications for more than 30 years, teaching more than 5,000 undergraduate students, more than 750 graduate students and serving on an estimated 250 masters and doctoral committees. He retired in 2011. He is so well-regarded as a teacher and mentor, that friends and colleagues at the school have established an award in his honor that encourages graduate students to excel at teaching as Dr. Wedemeyer did.

Wedemeyer’s expertise is information communications technology, and what interests him most is change and looking toward the future. He greatly enjoyed his students because every year they were new and they had nothing but the future in front of them. He enjoyed their optimism and energy and the light that comes on when they start getting excited about a subject.

Chamil Rathnayake
Chamil Rathnayake

The first Dan J. Wedemeyer Excellence in Teaching Award was recently announced and Dr. Wedemeyer cannot be more pleased with the committee’s selection of Chamil Rathnayake, a graduate teaching assistant for the School of Communications and PhD candidate in the Communication and Information Sciences program at UH Mānoa.

“He is dedicated to learning and recognizes the need to anticipate and prepare in order to establish an environment for his students that is conducive to learning,” said Wedemeyer.

The Dan J. Wedemeyer Excellence In Teaching Award provides a stipend to the recipient that can help with their education and living expenses. Dan notes, “It’s more than the money. It’s the recognition that you’ve been doing something well.” It helps graduate students build their résumés early in their careers.

Looking back, Wedemeyer said, “I wouldn’t have traded my place for any other career,” and he hopes today’s recipients will feel the same in the years ahead.

“Teaching for me is a process of reflexive learning of the dynamics of the class, designing and devising a strategy to open the students’ minds to absorb new concepts, critique, develop their own perspectives, and inculcate the habit of seeking knowledge independent of the instructor.”

—Chamil Rathnayake

Join us

Wedemeyer hopes that you will join him and other friends and colleagues in contributing to this award that recognizes and encourages graduate students who excel at teaching. He and the School of Communications would like to see the fund endowed so that it can be awarded in perpetuity, nurturing future great teachers for years to come.

Questions? / More Information

If you would like to learn how you can support UH students and programs like this, please contact us at 808 376-7800 or send us a message.