Hunter-Hamilton Love of Teaching Award

There is much undiscovered potential within each of us, which, if inspired by the right teacher, can change the world. Most of us are privileged to have had a professor whose care and enthusiasm molded and often changed our lives. These teachers stand out and continue to inspire long after our college days.

The Hunter-Hamilton Love of Teaching Award seeks out and honors teachers whose ways of life uniquely inspire the potential of each student.

This award is given to a Queens faculty member by his or her peers for having displayed an exemplary love of teaching. This award includes a monetary component, half of which goes to the faculty member and half to an academic department or program selected by the recipient.

Dedication

This award is made possible by a gift from the late Dr. James Pressly Hamilton and Grey Hunter Hamilton ’62 in honor of their parents, Buford Lindsay Hamilton and Frances Pressly Hamilton, servants of their Lord for 42 years as missionaries in Pakistan, and Richard Moore Hunter and Isabel Reid Hunter. Their faith, hope, and love for their children had no bounds.

“Grey and Jim Hamilton’s gift cuts to the heart of the Academy and the Church – two institutions they care about deeply. By remembering their parents, they reflect the Biblical injunction: honor your father and mother. And, by rewarding great teaching, they confirm that the faculty is the soul of the academic institution. To Grey and daughter Isabel, Queens alumnae, and father Jim and son Hunter, Davidson graduates, we thank you for this great show of confidence.”

Dr. Billy O. Wireman, President of Queens, 1978-2002

Nomination Information

Is there a professor at Queens whose care and enthusiasm have molded and perhaps even changed your life? The Hunter-Hamilton Love of Teaching Award seeks to honor that professor.

Half of the monetary award will go directly to the individual and half to an academic program or department of the recipient’s choosing.

Criteria

To be eligible for the Hunter-Hamilton Love of Teaching Award, a nominee must:

• Be a full-time member having taught at Queens University of Charlotte for at least five years, including any sabbatical leave;
• Be capable of communicating to students the sheer joy, wonder, and awe of learning;
• Have established a record of contagious enthusiasm for classroom teaching and tutelage;
• Be dedicated and patient with students, with service to them being of the highest priority;
• Have the ability to stimulate extraordinary accomplishments in students, including those with average abilities as well as those with exceptional capabilities;
• Be able to build self-esteem, self-reliance, and instill in students a desire to learn;
• Have an ability to clarify complex matters for students; and
• Treat students with dignity and respect as impressionable persons with individual hopes, fears, pains, and histories – making every effort to know them by name.

Nominate a Professor

Deadline: All nominations must be received no later than February 6, 2026.

There are two ways to submit your nomination:

1. Complete an online application.
2. You may submit your nomination to Dianne Hagstrom (hagstromd@queens.edu). Your email must include your name, contact information, and your class year if you are an alumnus or current student.