Caitlyn Doyle and Margery Resnick are 2023 Levitan Teaching Award winners! Recipients of the James A. and Ruth Levitan Teaching Award in the School of Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences, are among the finest teachers at the Institute. Nominations are made by students.
“The way that Professor Doyle interacts with her students during lecture is not only a showcase of her deep understanding of the material we are covering on a given day, but also of a genuine passion for that material, and for teaching itself. She challenges us to go beyond understanding the texts in a vacuum, and instead asks us to consider them with respect to the other material we’ve read, our own experiences, and current historical moment. This is not a class she teaches just so we can fulfill a CI-H requirement; instead, it feels like I am having my perspective of myself and those around me expanded with every discussion or reading we undertake. I see her as someone I can consult with in order to improve my writing ability, who can show me how to manage differing ideas with more nuance than I previously had, and also someone I can just ask for a reading recommendation if I want to pass time. She’s a passionate instructor who manages to educate while also being personable and fun to interact with.”
“Prof. Resnick is engaging, compassionate, and fully committed to her students. I first took her Spanish literature and film class in the spring of 2020. The class, which began in person, was always interesting and interactive. The content and pace were thoroughly planned but also adjusted based on our class’s interests and understanding. Once the COVID pandemic sent everyone home, Prof. Resnick made sure to check in on her students. Class became a nonstressful escape from the pandemic. I have UROPed with Prof. Resnick through the AMITA Oral History Project for over two years now. Through the project, I research and conduct interviews with older MIT alumna. The interview transcripts are then transcribed and added to the MIT distinctive collections archive. This opportunity has been one of the most meaningful things I’ve done at MIT. As a teacher and mentor, Prof. Resnick is incredibly supportIve and approachable. She is enthusiastic about my future plans and always makes time to meet with me and other students to talk about whatever we’d like to discuss. I have her to thank for many of the brightest parts of my MIT experience, and for guidance in choosing what will come next.”