Posted 8 a.m. Thursday, June 18, 2026
Denise Rueter 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:
- Aaron Koepke, Marketing
- Dipankar Mitra, Computer Science & Computer Engineering
- Jarred Pfeiffer, Art
- Denise Rueter, Educational Studies
- Shauna Sallmen, Physics
- Kevin Zabel, Psychology
This is the fourth of six stories highlighting the award recipients.
Denise Rueter, Educational Studies
Started at UWL: 2023
Courses: I work in Educational Studies and teach literacy courses for pre-service teachers.
Background: Prior to teaching at UWL, I worked in elementary schools in North Carolina and New Orleans. Over 15 years, I served as a classroom teacher, reading interventionist and instructional coach for teachers. In 2019, I began my doctorate in curriculum and instruction at Louisiana State University.
Favorite part of teaching: My favorite part of teaching is working closely with students as they learn how to teach reading and writing. It’s a complex and often challenging process with many interconnected components, but that’s what makes the growth so meaningful. I really value the moment when everything starts to come together for them. In our classes, we focus on explicit, research-based instructional practices, and it’s especially rewarding to see students take those strategies and apply them with confidence in their work with elementary and middle school learners.