Art History Professor Stephanie Leitch has received the 2024–25 Florida State University Award for Outstanding Graduate Teaching. This recognition of excellence in mentoring and teaching is administered by the Office of the Provost on the basis of student and alumni nominations.
Dr. Leitch is described by her students as a dedicated mentor with a remarkable depth and breadth of knowledge. They describe how she has taught them by example how to be enthusiastic, supportive teachers. Alumna Dr. Rachel Carlisle writes, “Serving as her teaching assistant in 2017 was a masterclass in undergraduate instruction.” She describes Leitch’s ongoing support after graduation:
“While presenting a paper at the Renaissance Society of America annual meeting in 2024, I glanced up to see Stephanie Leitch, chair pulled into the aisle for a better view. She was leaning forward, literally on the edge of her seat, as if she had not just spent the last several years supervising my dissertation research into the topic. Stephanie cares deeply and works tirelessly for the benefit of her students, and I feel very, very lucky to have her in my corner.“
Dr. Alexandra Challenger, also a 2022 PhD alumna, shares bookend moments in her dissertation research that define Leitch’s support:
“At the beginning of my doctoral work, [Dr. Leitch] was encouraging me to apply for outside funding to stay in Germany. I began to focus so much on the possibility of rejection that just completing the fellowship application became overwhelming. She told me in a meeting that I already had experienced the rejection in my head so the only thing that would be new was success. I admit I hadn’t thought about it in that way and the shift in perspective changed everything! I ended up getting two fellowships at the end of that year and I was able to stay in Germany for 18 months, which was absolutely amazing for my research. Then toward the end, when my defense was scheduled and I was struggling to stay on track, she would invite me to write with her on the days when she was in the Johnston building. This may seem like such a minor thing, but it turned out that just the ability to sit with someone in the library and write for a bit was enough to keep me going.“
Alumna Dr. Lacy Gillete also praises Leitch’s ongoing mentorship, which continues to influence her work as an early career scholar: “Even though I am no longer her student, she takes time to talk about my projects, last-minute applications (sorry, Dr. L!), job interviews, and German cuisine. Dr. Leitch is a rock star and those who have the privilege to be her students benefit from her brilliance and kindness.”
