The University of Chicago awarded Richard Huy ’16 the Outstanding Educator Award for 2021. Huy, who majored in French and environmental studies at Gettysburg, teaches French at Harrisburg Academy in Wormleysburg, Pennsylvania.
Every year, the University of Chicago bestows the Outstanding Educator Award on inspiring educators who made a difference in the lives of newly admitted UChicago students. Over the past decade, nearly 50 educators from around the country have been recognized by their former students.
“Receiving the University of Chicago’s Outstanding Educator Award proved to me that prioritizing empathy, understanding, and compassion in the classroom is what made the greatest impact on my students over the past few years of unprecedented challenges,” said Huy. “When they feel cared for and appreciated, there is no limit to what they can achieve.”
During his time at Gettysburg, Huy held a leadership role in the French Department, organizing programming for National French Week. In his senior year, Huy was named the inaugural winner of the Frederic Michelmann Outstanding Departmental Service Award to celebrate his achievements in the department.
“He was so passionate about all of it … [and] brought such excitement to the program,” said Prof. Florence Ramond Jurney. “I am not at all surprised that he was recognized as an excellent teacher at his current institution. The students who have him are lucky.”
Huy dedicates his award to his students and fellow educators, who have shown him their persistence, determination, and resilience in and out the classroom.
“Being in my students’ shoes not too long ago, I can appreciate the value of having a caring community in your corner,” he said. “The strong relationships I had with my professors at Gettysburg College gave me the support I needed to feel confident and prepared to excel as an educator. My only hope is that I can continue to foster a similar sense of community in my world language classroom and guide my students to recognize their own unique potential.”
Learn how Gettysburg faculty inspire students to excel during college and in their careers.
By Phoebe Doscher '22
Photo courtesy of Harrisburg Academy
Posted: 04/05/22
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