Texas A&M Kingsville Honors Chancellor's Academy of Teachers Educators
Texas A&M University Kingsville
KINGSVILLE, TEXAS (News Release) — A team of five faculty members from the College of Education and Human Performance at Texas A&M University-Kingsville received one of the highest honors bestowed by the Texas A&M University System. The Educator Preparation Program (EPP) EC-6 team received the Chancellor’s Academy of Teacher Educators (CATE) Award. The award was received during a ceremony held March 6 in College Station.
Team members are
Dr. Monica Wong-Ratcliff, professor and interim chair of the teacher and bilingual education department;
Dr. Lisa McNair, associate professor and coordinator of the EC-6 undergraduate program;
Dr. Olivia Modesto, associate professor;
Dr. Fernando Hernandez, assistant professor; and
Dr. Sonia Perez, adjunct faculty.
Shown from left, are Drs. Olivia Modesto, Fernando Hernandez, Sonia Perez, Monica Wong-Ratcliff; Lisa McNair, and Robert H. Vela Jr., University President.
“The dedicated TAMUK EPP EC-6 team has consistently demonstrated exceptional commitment to excellence in educator preparation,” said Dr. James M. Palmer, provost and senior vice president for academic affairs. “This award reflects the program's commitment to producing ‘Day 1 Ready’ teachers, as evident by the quality of graduates our faculty and the team produce.”
“The College of Education and Human Performance is extremely proud of Drs. Monica Ratcliff, Olivia Modesto, Fernando Hernandez, Lisa McNair, and Sonia Perez for being awarded the TAMUS Chancellor's Academy for Teacher Educators,” said Dr. Linda Villarreal, interim dean of the College of Education and Human Performance.
“When a faculty member receives a prestigious award; the impact is significant at multiple levels. This award validates the faculty member’s expertise, research, and contributions to their field. Their work gains more visibility, potentially leading to greater impact within and beyond academia,” she added.
“For our Educator Preparation Program, the faculty members' achievement brings credibility and prestige to their academic program. Top students and faculty may be more attracted to a program known for its award-winning faculty.”
“Lastly, the impact on our college and university contributes to national and international rankings, enhancing the college’s reputation. In short, such awards create a ripple effect, benefiting the faculty member, their program, and the entire institution. Congratulations to these faculty members for their commitment to our teacher educator program,” Villarreal said.
The Chancellor’s Academy of Teacher Educators (CATE) Award recognizes and honors both individuals and university teams who are making noteworthy and exemplary contributions to quality, innovation, and continuous improvement in teacher preparation. This award is not limited to any college or department—all teacher preparation pathways are to be included.
In 2010, The Texas A&M University System Office of Academic Affairs partnered with the Chancellor’s Century Council (CCC) to create a process to recognize and honor individual faculty for excellent impacts in teacher preparation. As of 2021, the Chancellor’s Academy of Teacher Educators (CATE) has inducted 87 faculty for individual contributions to teacher preparation.
In 2021, the CATE award shifted to align with the “We Teach Texas” initiative, and other state and national recognition systems, with a focus on quality, innovation, and continuous improvement in teacher preparation. In addition to updated criteria, the award expanded to honor and recognize teams of individuals who are collectively making exemplary and notable impacts toward the goal of producing the highest quality educators who are prepared to deliver and lead world-class education for the children of Texas and beyond.
Each year, up to three individuals with particularly noteworthy contributions and up to three exemplary university teams may be inducted into the Chancellor’s Academy for Teacher Educators (CATE).
Each university may make one nomination per year for each category – individual and a team. Priority will be given to awarding teams over individuals. In only exceptional cases, an individual and team will be awarded to a single university in the same year.
Each nominee (individual or team member) must work directly in the preparation of teachers and clearly demonstrate noteworthy and exemplary contributions to quality, innovation, and continuous improvement in teacher preparation. Each university team may consist of up to five individuals. The team should consist primarily of faculty, although it may include an administrator or staff member when and if they played a central and engaged role as a member of the team.
