Skip to content Skip to main navigation Report an accessibility issue

2022 L. R. Hesler Award

The L. R. Hesler Award is named for a longtime head of the botany department who also served as dean of the College of Arts and Sciences. Hesler’s students, colleagues, and friends established this memorial award to recognize exceptional teaching and service.

Erin Darby

Erin DarbyErin Darby is an associate professor of Early Judaism in the Department of Religious Studies and the faculty director of Undergraduate Research and Fellowships for the Division of Student Success. An expert in the archaeology of religion and Hebrew literature, Darby is a committed teacher and undergraduate research mentor. Darby has also spearheaded a number of campus, community, and international initiatives including programs on cultural competency, archaeology, and religious diversity.

What does being a Volunteer mean to you? How has UT empowered you to make a difference in a way you might not have imagined elsewhere?

UT is home to an amazing array of people who care deeply about the experiences of our students and take seriously our mandate as a land grant institution. As a result, the institution values high-impact teaching and engagement and provides resources and infrastructure to support faculty as they seek to serve our communities on campus, in Tennessee, and across the globe. None of my work would have been possible without staff, faculty, and student partners from all corners of the campus.