UNH Today

Jack Hoza, professor and director of the Sign Language Interpretation program at the University of New Hampshire at Manchester, was awarded the college’s 2015 Teaching Excellence Award.

UNH’s Teaching Excellence Award recognizes faculty who motivate, challenge and inspire students to succeed both in and out of the classroom. Hoza’s glowing reputation among his students and colleagues earned him this year’s award.

Since Hoza joined the UNH Manchester faculty in 1994, he has inspired students with his expertise and passion for American Sign Language (ASL). A native user of both ASL and English, Hoza is committed to breaking Deaf stereotypes while fostering the growth of his students.

Hoza is known for his innovative, enthusiastic approach to interpreter education, which prepares students for careers in ASL/English interpretation and continued studies in fields from rehabilitation to social services. It is no surprise that Hoza’s students echo the words “great,” “awesome” and “amazing” in his course evaluations.

Hoza is also a researcher, scholar and author, yet another reason his teaching is reflective and purposeful. His workshops, presentations and published works on interpretation and ASL have gained national recognition, and he is highly regarded in the field.

“Jack is always on the cutting edge of changes in Interpreter Education that Deaf Community benefits immensely from,” said Patrick “Pax” McCarthy, lecturer and assistant director of the Sign Language Interpretation program. “We now are not to be helped, but to be allied with, in social change.”

Jack received his B.S. from the University of Northern Colorado before pursuing his M.S. in teaching interpreting at Western Maryland College and Ph.D. in applied linguistics from Boston University.

Recipients of the Teaching Excellence Award from the previous five years include John Cerullo, professor of history; Melinda Negron-Gonzales, assistant professor of politics and society; Kelly M. Kilcrease, assistant professor of business; Thomas D. Birch, professor of economics and Lorraine Doucet, associate professor of biology.