Acclaim for teaching excellence

Bala Krishnamoorthy, professor of mathematics and statistics at WSU Vancouver, has been named the first recipient of the Yang “Wendy” Liu Award for Excellence in Teaching International Students.

In nominating Krishnamoorthy for the award, PhD student James Asare noted, “In all three of Bala’s classes I took, what struck me the most was his careful approach in recognizing his classroom mix of international and local students and leveraging well-thought-out pedagogies to create a space that was expressive of understanding through active engagement.”

“I am incredibly honored to accept the Yang Liu award from International Programs. Wendy set a really high standard for teaching international students well. It is a great honor for me to even be considered for filling the shoes that she left,” Krishnamoorthy said in a videotaped acceptance during the International Students graduation gala on May 6.

Kate Hellmann, director of International Student and Scholar Services in the Office of International Programs, said, “Wendy was a bilingual Chinese/English speaker with a fervent passion for teaching Intensive English. She loved WSU, her students, and the Intensive American Language Center faculty. She demonstrated grace, empathy, and excellence in her teaching and service to the university. She helped pioneer many of our best practices in working with Eastern Asian students.

The Yang Liu Award for Excellence in Teaching International Students was created in memory of Yang (Wendy) Liu who was an Intensive American Language Center (IALC) faculty member who taught Intensive English at WSU for nearly a decade. It will be awarded annually to a WSU faculty member who demonstrates excellence in teaching international students.

Originally posted at WSU Insider