Congratulations to Dr. Katie Hemphill!

Katie Hemphill, Associate Professor, Department of History receives 2024 SBS Teaching Innovation Award!

Katie Hemphill, an associate professor in the Department of History has created a popular general education class, History 187: Murder Most Foul: U.S. History through Flashpoint Murder Cases, as a way to leave behind the traditional expectations of a history course where “rote memorization and trivial recounting of knowledge” are the standard. Instead, Hemphill designed the true crime, historical homicide-focused class to incorporate digital tools, video, sound effects, and voice-overs to offer insight into societal issues — immigration, equity, race, gender, violence, and justice — that consistently challenge our country. 

Hemphill’s student evaluations consistently report they enjoy her teaching and classes. “She is one of the best professors I’ve ever had, one of the reasons I added my history major.”

In describing the creation of the class, Hemphill hoped to challenge the notion that history is boring. “I wanted them to see that critical thinking and analysis of evidence and narrative aren’t just skills for true crime consumption,” said Hemphill. “They are basic skills for success in history, in humanities in general, and for global citizenship more broadly.” 

In her nomination letter, Katherine Morrissey, professor and head of the Department of History, praised Hemphill as a “phenomenal teacher.” 

“She guides students in recognizing all sides of these complex matters and fosters analytical thinking about the past and present,” wrote Morrissey. “It is a terrific course in design, in content, in innovation, in purpose, and in pedagogy that captures the admiration of all of us.”