PhD Student Vincent Villalobos has received the 2026 LAS Dean's Awards for Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching by Graduate Teaching Assistants and the 2026 Campus Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching by Graduate Teaching Assistants. These awards are designed to celebrate sustained excellence in undergraduate teaching, innovative approaches to working with students, and contributing and overall positive impact on student learning.
Villalobos’ teaching experience began in their home state, during their time as an undergraduate at University of Texas at Tyler where they worked as a Mathnasium instructor in a joint program called People Attempting to Help (PATH). This foundational experience solidified Villalobos’ passion for teaching mathematics. In their words, “Tutoring under-resourced students and seeing their improvement gave me the passion and skills to develop a classroom that welcomes and uplifts students from all backgrounds.”
Villalobos carried this inclusivity-driven and background-conscious prospective into their work as a teaching assistant and instructor at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. As they remark, “The main concept I want to unleash students from is the idea that math is unapproachable. My goal is not to be a comedian, but my goal is to make math at least neutral to happy because for me, I think math is a lot of times, funny. I try to make it fun and interesting and maybe just even a little bit absurd.”
This is just one example of Villalobos’ constructivist view on teaching put into action. Other tools in their arsenal include background surveys sent out at the beginning of semesters, mid-semester feedback forms, and group work to engage students as an active participant in their education. They are a firm proponent that teaching is about communication between instructors and their students, and that being open to feedback and considering their lived experiences are crucial to providing a quality educational experience.
Being a student themself, Villalobos can empathize with the undergraduate experience and come from a place of understanding. “Imposter syndrome is a thing,” they explain, “and that’s not a bad thing. It’s part of the experience.” They find great value in their role as instructor stating, “Some people find teaching to be a hassle. That’s not me. I love people and like interreacting with students. That’s just my safe haven from all the stresses.” They continue, “Working with students is wonderful because they show me the journey that I went through in a completely different light.”
The Department of Mathematics is proud to have Vincent Villalobos join our roster of instructional award recipients. In their few years at the university, they have already made tremendous impact in the educational journey for several students and has a bright future in mathematics ahead of them as they work to complete their PhD.