National organization names Griswold Professor of the Year
Sara Griswold, assistant professor of Spanish in the Augusta State Department of English and Foreign Languages, has been named the 2012 Professor of the Year by the Georgia chapter of the American Association of Teachers of Spanish and Portuguese (AATSP).
This is the first time Griswold has received this award and she said it is an undeniably good feeling to be recognized by her peers.
“When I was told that I had been selected for this award, I was truly humbled and honored,” Griswold said. “As teachers, we work hard to do what is best for our students and to be recognized for those accomplishments is such a wonderful feeling.”
According to AATSP officials, Griswold was selected based on her outstanding work in helping students to not only learn Spanish, but gain an appreciation for the Hispanic culture. Griswold was nominated for the award by her colleague ASU Spanish professor Jana Sandarg who commended Griswold’s leadership role in foreign language education.
“Griswold is a great teacher who goes above and beyond the call of duty to help students grasp Spanish,” Sandarg said. “Sara is a wonderful instructor and she is a great asset to ASU as well as the Hispanic community.”
Griswold is a member of several organizations including the Foreign Language Alliance for International Rapport (FLAIR), the Foreign Language Association of Georgia., and the Southern Conference on Language Teaching. Throughout her career, Griswold has received numerous accolades such as the Delta Kappa Gamma Study Award, the University of Kansas Scholarship, and the French Government Study Award.
A member of the ASU faculty since 1989, Griswold earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Trujillo, a teaching certificate from the University of Grenoble, and a master’s degree from the University of Kansas. She is also a doctoral candidate at the University of Georgia.
