The Faculty-to-Faculty Mentorship Award annually recognizes a maximum of six tenure-track, clinical or research faculty members who have mentored other faculty members at Ohio State. Their contributions to the development of others through non-administrative roles, across the career life cycle, can include interdisciplinary collaboration, teaching excellence, research guidance, sponsorship to internal/external awards and/or leadership development. This award honors faculty who go beyond traditional expectations by investing time, expertise and care into guiding peers in their professional growth, scholarly development and overall success.
Nominees will have contributed as faculty mentors, shown measurable impact through their guidance, and sustained meaningful mentorship activities over time.
The Office of Academic Affairs awards recipients a $3,000 cash award. In addition, recipients are honored at a celebration during spring semester and recognized during a home football game in Ohio Stadium in the fall semester.
Eligibility
All full-time faculty members who have been at Ohio State for at least three years are eligible. Nominations may be submitted by peers, mentees, academic leaders or self.
Nomination Information
Nominations open the first week in August and close the second Friday in October each year.
Instructions: Assemble nomination materials into one PDF in the order listed below:
- Nomination letter describing the faculty member’s mentorship contributions (four-page maximum)
- Up to two supporting letters from colleagues or mentees (two pages per letter)
- Nominee’s curriculum vitae
Submit nomination PDF via email to Faculty Affairs (honeck.7@osu.edu) with a subject line of "Faculty-to-Faculty Mentorship Award."
Selection Criteria: Nominees will be evaluated based on:
- Demonstrated impact on mentees’ professional, teaching and/or scholarly development
- Evidence of sustained and consistent mentoring across multiple years and faculty
Award winners
2026
Sharon Amacher
Professor
Department of Molecular Genetics
College of Arts and Sciences
Recognized for an extraordinary commitment to faculty mentorship across disciplines and career stages, Sharon Amacher is a generous collaborator and advocate who invests time, expertise and care in guiding colleagues through research development, grant writing, promotion and leadership opportunities. Her mentorship has had a measurable impact on faculty success across the university. She has also been previously recognized with the Alumni Award for Distinguished Teaching and the Community Engaged Scholar Award.
Nicholas B. Breyfogle
Professor
Department of History
College of Arts and Sciences
For nearly three decades at Ohio State, Nicholas B. Breyfogle has advanced faculty success through hands-on mentorship. He is widely sought for manuscript review, guidance on research development, teaching and promotion, and advocacy across departments. As director of the Harvey Goldberg Center for Excellence in Teaching, he has led initiatives to strengthen teaching and mentored colleagues in pedagogical development. He previously received the Alumni Award for Distinguished Teaching.
Andréa G. Grottoli
Arts and Sciences Distinguished Professor
School of Earth Sciences
College of Arts and Sciences
Through longstanding faculty mentorship and institutional leadership, Andréa G. Grottoli has played a defining role in supporting faculty development. Colleagues regularly seek her guidance on research trajectories, promotion and tenure, and institutional processes. Her work to formalize mentoring practices, lead dossier preparation workshops, and clarify expectations has strengthened transparency and consistency for faculty at all stages. She previously received the School of Earth Sciences Faculty Mentor Award.
James E. Kinder
Professor
Department of Animal Sciences
College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences
Faculty mentorship has long been central to James E. Kinder’s work as a colleague and academic leader. He is known for careful listening, candid feedback and consistent engagement that helps faculty navigate research planning, teaching decisions, career milestones, and leadership responsibilities. Within his department, he regularly provides detailed dossier reviews and practical mentoring to individual faculty, strengthening clarity and confidence across career stages.
Laura E. Lindsey
Professor
Department of Horticulture and Crop Science
College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences
Laura E. Lindsey demonstrates an exceptional commitment to faculty mentorship through extensive, hands-on involvement with early-career colleagues. She has served on nine faculty mentoring committees, including six as chair, providing guidance on promotion, tenure preparation, and the demands of integrated appointments within Ohio State University Extension. Her approach is notable for its creativity and practicality, including innovative peer exchanges that foster collaboration, expand professional networks, and produce tangible research and outreach outcomes.
Ann Scheck McAlearney
College of Medicine Distinguished Professor
Department of Family and Community Medicine
College of Medicine
Ann Scheck McAlearney, associate dean for Health Services Research and executive director of the Center for the Advancement of Team Science, Analytics, and Systems Thinking in Health Services and Implementation Science Research, has demonstrated a longstanding commitment to faculty mentorship. Over the course of her career, she has guided faculty through individualized mentorship, emphasizing collaboration, leadership development and long-term growth. Through her guidance, colleagues have advanced through promotion and tenure, assumed leadership roles and built collaborative programs that foster a culture of shared mentorship.