Instructure Celebrates Global Educators Driving Student Success with Inaugural 2025 Academic Excellence Awards

This global initiative unites insights from leading educators worldwide, keeping Instructure and its community at the forefront of the learning experience

SALT LAKE CITY — July 17, 2025 —  Instructure, the maker of Canvas LMS, announced the winners of its first-ever Academic Excellence Awards, recognizing exceptional educators and programs worldwide for remarkable achievements in teaching, learning and innovation. The awards spotlight individuals and teams who have demonstrated exceptional impact across three categories: Outstanding Course, Transformative Program and Innovative Tool.

The Academic Excellence Awards are a key component of Instructure's commitment to supporting educators worldwide. The rigorous submission and review process not only highlights excellence but also informs product development and elevates the customer experience. Finalists were selected from a competitive global pool of nominees from a wide variety of institutions and disciplines. The first, second and third-place recipients were chosen based on their creativity, measurable outcomes and overall influence on education. 

First-place honorees received a complimentary pass to attend InstructureCon 2025, where they will be recognized for their dedication, ingenuity and impact. All awardees will also receive official recognition and be featured across Instructure’s social media channels.

“We are truly inspired by the dedication and innovation shown by this year's award recipients,” said Melissa Loble, chief academic officer at Instructure. “Celebrating educators has become an integral part of our operations, influencing everything from the products we bring to market to the way we strive to deliver a better customer experience every day.” 

Winners of the Academic Excellence Awards are boldly reshaping the future of learning. Their work spans continents and disciplines, from AI-powered teaching assistants to accessible healthcare education and AI-integrated marketing courses. Our inaugural winners are: 

Prof. Volodymyr Kindratenko (Innovative Tool Award): At the University of Illinois, Innovative Tool Award winner Prof. Volodymyr Kindratenko is pioneering a new era of education by empowering instructors to create AI teaching assistants, opening doors to deeper understanding for thousands of students. 

Peggy Moore (Transformative Program): Peggy Moore’s visionary leadership has grown uBEATS into a nationwide force, delivering free, life-changing science and health education to over 95,000 students while illuminating pathways to meaningful healthcare careers, earning her the Transformative Program Award. 

Mark Rosenbaum, PhD (Outstanding Course Award): Mark Rosenbaum, PhD, who received the Outstanding Course Award, is igniting curiosity and confidence by integrating AI into his marketing courses at The Citadel, equipping students with the tools to thrive in a rapidly evolving world. Together, these educators are not just teaching—they are inspiring the next generation to dream bigger and achieve more.

2025 Academic Excellence Award Winners

Innovative Tool

• First Place: Volodymyr Kindratenko, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
• Second Place: Huynh Bao Thien, Lawrence S. Ting School  (Vietnam)
• Third Place: Eric Schwartz, Katy ISD

Transformative Program

• First Place: Peggy Moore, University of Nebraska Medical Center
• Second Place: Charlotte Meijer, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam 
• Third Place: Cori Heier, University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Nursing

Outstanding Course

• First Place: Mark Rosenbaum, Baker School of Business at The Citadel
• Second Place: Jeffrey Simmons, University of San Diego, Learning Design Center
• Third Place: Kirsten Fertuck, Northeastern University; Alina Mitchell, University of San Diego

About the Academic Excellence Awards

The Academic Excellence Awards honor outstanding achievements in education and highlight the vital role of innovation and dedication in shaping educational outcomes. Submissions were open to educators, instructional designers, institutional leaders and entire organizations. Each nomination required comprehensive documentation of measurable impact. Entries underwent a rigorous review by a panel comprising education experts and peer representatives from the broader community. 

The awards recognize excellence across three categories:

• Outstanding Course: Celebrating exceptional instructional design that features clear learning outcomes and engaging delivery
• Transformative Program: Recognizing scalable initiatives that meaningfully shift educational practices within institutions or communities
• Innovative Tool: Honoring technologies or resources that significantly enhance teaching and learning experiences