UT System recognizes UTSA faculty member Gina Amatangelo for teaching excellence

AUGUST 5, 2024 — Gina Amatangelo, a UTSA public administration professor of practice, has been selected as a fellow in The University of Texas System Academy of Distinguished Teachers. Amatangelo is the fourth UTSA faculty member to be inducted into this esteemed group of educators. Membership is the highest teaching honor the System bestows.

Amatangelo is a seasoned facilitator, has strong community connections and brings 20 years of experience as a public policy practitioner to her work with UTSA students. Prior to joining the faculty at UTSA, she founded Common Ground Strategy to help cross-sector teams build consensus on strategies to address challenges such as college access and land and water conservation in fast-growth communities.

As associate dean of the UTSA Honors College, Amatangelo has been instrumental in the design of a pilot program to build student, faculty and community capacity to engage meaningfully across different backgrounds and perspectives. The program will include building a catalog of classes to help develop civil discourse skills among UTSA students.

“Serving as an Academy Fellow is a profound honor,” said Jill Fleuriet, UTSA Distinguished Teaching Professor and president of the UT System Academy of Distinguished Teachers. “The Academy is a working group, too, celebrating and promoting teaching excellence across the UT System. We are excited that Professor Amatangelo will share her expertise in community engagement, discourse across difference and civic leadership and policy, among other topics.”

“I am honored to join this talented group of scholars who are working to provide transformative learning experiences for students.”

Lynne Cossman, dean of the UTSA College for Health, Community and Policy (HCAP) added, “Gina’s approach with students is intensely personalized, and her commitment to civic engagement and experiential learning is unsurpassed.”

Established in 2012, the Academy selects outstanding educators from across the UT System’s eight institutions, with an emphasis on professors committed to improving the student learning experience. Fellows of the Academy advise the System leadership.

“I am honored to join this talented group of scholars who are working to provide transformative learning experiences for students,” Amatangelo said. “I look forward to bringing more conversation and education around civil discourse to our classrooms.”

Members of the Academy are distinguished teachers and mentors. They are devoted to fostering the creation of learning experiences that increase capacity and develop habits of thought that contribute to rewarding and joyful lives.

At the same time, they are deliberate in growing and sharing their teaching expertise across their campuses. As an academy fellow, Amatangelo plans to convene faculty across the UT System to share proven practices on promoting civil discourse on college campuses. This commitment aligns with UTSA President Taylor Eighmy’s initiative to build capacity around civil discourse.

As part of UTSA’s civil discourse initiative, the Honors College sent three students to Northern Ireland for the Nurturing Hope Program. The program focuses on nurturing trust and hope in their personal and political lives as well as practices around reconciliation and the restoration of relationships.

Thanks to a partnership with Rotary San Antonio and the H.E. Butt Foundation, UTSA will use this curriculum to launch a similar fellowship program closer to home: Nurturing Hope San Antonio. Amatangelo will adapt the Nurturing Hope curriculum to bring together students from diverse neighborhoods, backgrounds and faiths to facilitate dialogue amongst fellow students with political differences on such issues as income inequality and homelessness and thus create spaces on college campuses where civil disagreement will flourish.

Amatangelo’s focus on building students’ skills in dialogue stems from a desire to prepare future public servants to listen and collaborate with constituents and communities impacted by public policy decisions.

“Engaging with different opinions is an essential skill for all citizens,” Amatangelo said. “It also helps our students to thrive in the workplace. Through classes and programs that we offer at UTSA, students learn how to find common ground and a way forward together.”

Heather Shipley, UTSA provost and executive vice president for Academic Affairs, stated, “Professor Amatangelo’s dedication to enhancing the student learning experience exemplifies the core values of UTSA. Her innovative approaches to civil discourse and public policy education are truly inspiring. We are incredibly proud of her achievements and her contributions to our students and our academic community."

Amatangelo began her career working as an advocate on international human rights issues in Washington, D.C., and later served as chief of staff to State Representative Mike Villarreal. She holds a Master of Public Affairs degree from the University of Texas at Austin and a Bachelor of Arts in Communications from Penn State University.

The UT System Distinguished Teachers fellowship marks the latest recognition for Amatangelo, who received the Regents’ Outstanding Teaching Award in 2021. That same year, she was inducted into the UTSA Academy for Distinguished Teaching Scholars, which she will chair during the 2024-2025 academic year. She has also received UTSA’s Richard S. Howe Outstanding Undergraduate Teaching Award and Core Curriculum Teaching Award.

“I am thrilled that the UT System recognizes the brilliance of Professor Amatangelo’s teaching,” Cossman said. “In HCAP, we have known for years that she is an incredibly committed teacher and are thankful to have her represent HCAP in this illustrious group of teachers.”

— Amanda Cerreto