Dr. Rita Okoroafor has received the Montague-Center for Teaching Excellence (CTE) Scholar Award in recognition of her dedication and passion for teaching undergraduate students.
For Okoroafor, teaching is something that she has always enjoyed.
“I think I have been teaching for as far back as I can remember,” said Okoroafor, assistant professor and Chevron Corporation Faculty Fellow in the Harold Vance Department of Petroleum Engineering.
“Even during my years in the industry, I naturally gravitated toward sharing knowledge with my peers, to the point that I was once nicknamed ‘Professor.’ Looking back, that was when I realized how much joy I found in helping others learn. Eventually, I realized I had a strength that wasn’t being utilized, and I left the industry to start teaching.”
The Montague-CTE Scholars Award, established in 1991 through an endowment by Ken and Judy Montague, honors professors who demonstrate exceptional dedication to undergraduate teaching. Named in honor of Kenneth Montague ’37, the award reflects the Montague family’s enduring commitment to advancing excellence in education at Texas A&M.
This year, the Center for Teaching Excellence is celebrating the 35th anniversary of the Montague-CTE Scholars Award.
It’s truly an honor to receive this recognition. My favorite part about teaching is seeing students truly grasp fundamental knowledge. When I see that they have understood a concept to the point they can explain to others, I know they will be empowered by that knowledge.
“It’s truly an honor to receive this recognition,” Okoroafor said. “My favorite part about teaching is seeing students truly grasp fundamental knowledge. When I see that they have understood a concept to the point they can explain to others, I know they will be empowered by that knowledge.”
The Montague-CTE Scholar Award is given to 10 tenure-track assistant professors annually. Along with the title of Montague-CTE scholar, Okoroafor will also receive a grant to continue making positive impacts in the classroom.
However, for Okoroafor, receiving this award means more than recognition.
“When I left the oil and gas industry, I wondered if I was doing the right thing,” Okoroafor said. “Winning this award is very validating; it reassures me that taking the leap into academia, despite all the uncertainty I felt at the time, was the right decision. I am deeply grateful to my students and colleagues who make this journey so meaningful.”
Okoroafor is the first professor from the Department of Petroleum Engineering to receive the Montague-CTE Scholar Award.
“Teaching is a shared journey where student and faculty grow together,” Okoroafor said. “When I can teach students to see the big picture from the knowledge they have acquired, I know they will be more confident in the solutions they provide. I also learn from them. Seeing them succeed is the greatest honor I could ask for.”