Dr. Lynne Yengulalp Wins 2026 Teaching Professionals Award for Excellence in Teaching

By Erin Marlow, Communications Specialist in the Office of the Dean of the College

Dr. Lynne Yengulalp, Associate Teaching Professor of Mathematics and Director of the Math and Stats Center, has been selected as the 2026 recipient of the Teaching Professionals Award for Excellence in Teaching. This prestigious award recognizes faculty at any stage of their career who have demonstrated exceptional commitment to student learning and meaningful work in and beyond their department.

Since joining the Department of Mathematics in 2019, Dr. Yengulalp has made extraordinary contributions to the department and the Wake Forest community. As Director of the Math and Stats Center, she trains dozens of tutors and teaching assistants each year, ensuring that students receive consistent, high-quality support across mathematics and statistics courses. leadership of the Center was especially evident during the COVID-19 pandemic, when she oversaw the seamless transition to virtual tutoring – arranging tablets to be shipped to each tutor so that they could easily write on their screens during remote sessions. Her efforts were instrumental in providing students and tutors with the necessary resources to continue their work without interruption. 

As Course Coordinator for MTH 111, Dr. Yengulalp also plays a pivotal role in guiding instructors of the department’s large introductory course. Most recently, she collaborated with the Center for the Advancement of Teaching and the Office of the Dean of the College to strengthen MTH 111 with a particular focus on student equity in subsequent math course placement – work that reflects her understanding of MTH 111’s foundational importance both within and beyond the department. 

Dr. Yengulalp’s dedication to student success extends from Winston-Salem classrooms to programs and partnerships across the country. In 2021, when the department learned of a critical shortage of math teachers in local high schools, Dr. Yengulalp organized Math and Stats Center tutors to travel to those schools and provide direct support. She has served as a speaker at the Girls Talk Math camp for high school students; was an invited speaker at the Young Scholars Program at the University of Illinois Chicago; represented the department at the Association for Women in Mathematics workshop in Denver; and was selected by Wake Forest to attend the Notre Dame Inclusive Teaching Academy. Characteristically, Dr. Yengulalp brought what she learned from each of these opportunities back to her colleagues, enriching teaching and student experiences.

In each of these roles – center director, course coordinator, and classroom instructor – Dr. Yengulalp is a steadfast advocate for students and a model of professional engagement. Her “energy” and “excitement” for continuous growth, as faculty note, build lasting communities across campus. The Dean and faculty congratulate Dr. Yengulalp as the deserving recipient of the 2026 Teaching Professional’s Award for Excellence in Teaching.