Susana Cisneros honored with the UNC Board of Governors Award for Excellence in Teaching

May 12, 2026

Categories: News

UNC Charlotte's Susana Cisneros wears graduation regalia on stage and presents the mace to the crowd at the spring commencement ceremony.

The College of Humanities & Earth and Social Sciences’ Susana Cisneros has been named UNC Charlotte’s 2026 recipient of the UNC Board of Governors Award for Excellence in Teaching, one of the most prestigious honors bestowed within the UNC System.

Cisneros was recognized by UNC Board of Governors member Joel D. Ford during the CHESS undergraduate commencement ceremony on Friday, May 8. UNC Charlotte Chancellor Sharon L. Gaber presented Cisneros with the medal.

Cisneros, senior lecturer of Spanish in the Department of Languages, Cultures and Translation, also served as university marshal during the CHESS undergraduate Spring Commencement.

Established in 1994, the Board of Governors Award for Excellence in Teaching recognizes outstanding faculty across the UNC System and underscores the central importance of high‑quality instruction. One faculty member from each of the system’s 17 institutions is selected annually. Recipients must have taught at their institution for at least seven years and are chosen by the Board of Governors Committee on Personnel and Tenure.

Cisneros, a former attorney from Argentina and a certified paralegal, brings a global perspective and a community‑centered approach to her teaching. She describes education as a shared journey of growth for both students and instructors.

“Teaching is a lifelong learning process for students, teachers, mentors and community partners,” Cisneros said. “It involves encouraging others to be their best selves, to stop judgment and see opportunity and, most importantly, to become part of the solution. The classroom is where I belong and can become my full self through new experiences, challenges and happiness.”

Her teaching philosophy emphasizes authentic relationships with students, with the curriculum and with the broader community. On the first day of class, she asks students to write letters describing how she can best support them. She also facilitates language exchanges with peers in Argentina and Spain, creating opportunities for personal, contextual and transformative learning.

UNC Charlotte's Susana Cisneros wears graduation regalia on stage at the commencement ceremony, and holds the ceremonial mace. At the base is a gold pine cone. Moving upward into the native walnut handle is one of Charlotte’s former logos. The upper silver section is carved to represent the Belk Tower that once stood in Belk Plaza, which then blossoms into a dogwood flower with a gold-plated hornet’s nest.

UNC Charlotte Chancellor Sharon L. Gaber puts a medal with a yellow ribbon over the head of Susana Cisneros.

Cisneros has led multiple community‑engaged projects supported by North Carolina Campus Engagement and has partnered with organizations such as the Levine Museum of the New South and the Camino Community Center. She also mentors students through the Forty Niner Intensive Transition Program (FIT), supporting first‑generation students as they build confidence, belonging and academic skills.

“Susana is a creative and highly committed faculty member who has met the highest standards for outstanding education and commitment to student success,” said Chris Boyer, dean of the College of Humanities & Earth and Social Sciences.

Cisneros previously received the 2025 UNC Charlotte Award for Teaching Excellence for Teaching‑Focused Faculty, further underscoring her impact on student learning and community engagement.

As university marshal during Spring Commencement, Cisneros led the academic procession and represented the faculty in one of the University’s most visible ceremonial roles.