Dr. Jean Feerick, Professor of English at John Carroll University, has been selected as the 2026 recipient of the prestigious Lucrezia Culicchia Award for Teaching Excellence.
Each year, the College of Arts & Sciences honors one faculty member within the department with this award, recognizing their outstanding contributions to teaching and learning. Candidates are nominated through letters of recommendation from students, faculty colleagues, and JCU alumni. The Review Committee evaluates nominees based on campus leadership, instructional support, creative course development, and pioneering teaching methodology.
“Jean’s extraordinary dedication to student growth, inclusive pedagogy, and academic excellence exemplifies the values of the Lucrezia Culicchia Award,” said Dr. Catherine Campbell, Dean of the College of Arts & Sciences. “She brings a zeal to her classroom that inspires deep investment from her students.”
The award, which includes a $2,000 stipend, was formally presented to Dr. Feerick at the College of Arts & Sciences faculty meeting this week.
“I’m humbled, honored, and grateful to those who traveled to celebrate with me and for my many mentors who shaped who I’ve become and how I teach,” said Dr. Feerick during the ceremony. “Special thanks to Dr. Peter Kvidera, our English Department Chair, and to my students, who are amazing and inspiring. I dedicate this award to my mother’s memory. She was the first and greatest teacher in my life.”
Since joining JCU's English faculty in 2013, Dr. Feerick has worked to bring Actors From The London Stage to campus and regularly takes students to Cleveland theaters for live performances, connecting academic study to professional artistic practice. Beyond the classroom, Dr. Feerick is a tireless mentor and a leader in curricular innovation. She has developed 15 new courses for the undergraduate, graduate, and core curriculum, including impactful linked courses with the Department of History that explore the early modern Atlantic.
“Dr. Feerick has been an outstanding professor, mentor, and friend since my freshman year,” said Rachel Ciotti ’27, a JCU English major. “My favorite memory with Dr. Feerick is when she surprised our class during our final project. We had to act out scenes from Shakespeare plays, and several students had stage anxiety. She surprised us and prepared her own monologue to perform alongside us. She is a team player with the kindest spirit and the biggest heart. I am grateful that I have found a mentor and friend for life.”
About the Lucrezia Culicchia Award for Teaching Excellence
Established in 1990, the Lucrezia Culicchia Award for Teaching Excellence is presented annually to a member of the College of Arts & Sciences faculty at John Carroll University. The award recognizes exceptional dedication to student learning, inclusive pedagogy, and the Jesuit educational mission.
