Jared Pfeiffer receives 2026 Eagle Teaching Excellence Award

Posted 8 a.m. Thursday , June 11 , 2026

Jared Pfeiffer receives 2026 Eagle Teaching Excellence Award

At UW-La Crosse, outstanding instructors shape students' lives inside and outside the classroom.

This year, UWL's Provost Office received nearly 500 nominations from students hoping to recognize faculty who have had a meaningful impact on their college experience. From these nominations, a university committee selected six faculty to receive 2026 Eagle Teaching Excellence Awards.

They are:

This is the third of six stories highlighting the award recipients.

Jared Pfeiffer, Art

Started at UWL: 2019

Courses: I teach in the Art Department, and I teach all aspects of ceramics at UWL: hand building, wheel throwing, glaze and clay making, kiln firing.

Background: This is my 18th year of teaching. Before coming to UWL, I was the head of ceramics at Cuesta College in San Luis Obispo, California, where I taught for six years. I also taught in graduate school at Kansas State University and taught high school mathematics with Teach for America in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Favorite part of teaching: There are countless aspects of teaching that I find deeply rewarding. Working with clay, in particular, presents a steep learning curve, especially for beginners. What I value most about teaching ceramics is witnessing the transformation that occurs when students commit time and effort to the process of progress. It's especially meaningful to see those who initially struggle - such as with centering on the wheel in the introductory course - continue on to intermediate and advanced levels, where they gain confidence, develop their own voice and make remarkable improvements.