The 2026 Outstanding Teaching Awards: Edgar Garcia-Velozo
Each Wednesday this summer, UKNow is highlighting a winner of the University of Kentucky’s 2026 Outstanding Teaching Awards, given by the Office for Faculty Advancement and the Office of the Provost.
LEXINGTON, Ky. (June 17, 2026) — Edgar Garcia-Velozo, a University of Kentucky Ph.D. student in the Department of Geography in the College of Arts and Sciences, is among 10 educators honored with UK’s 2026 Outstanding Teaching Awards.
These awards identify and recognize UK faculty and graduate teaching assistants who demonstrate special dedication to student achievement. Recipients were selected through a nomination process and reviewed by a selection committee from the UK Office for Faculty Advancement and the Center for the Enhancement of Learning and Teaching.
Garcia-Velozo is currently in his fourth year of teaching in the Department of Geography. During his time in the classroom, he has made significant contributions to undergraduate education. His thoughtful, well-executed pedagogy has enriched the educational experiences of hundreds of undergraduates.
He initially served as a grader for the course Cities of the World during his first semester at the university and quickly transitioned into the role of primary instructor in his second semester. Since then, he has served as the primary instructor four times — an impressive achievement for a Ph.D. student in only his fourth semester at UK.
As part of this summer series, UKNow connected with Garcia-Velozo to learn more about his experience and approach to teaching.
UKNow: How would you describe your area of expertise (to a broad audience) and why is the work important right now?
Garcia-Velozo: I’m a geographer, and my work focuses on international forced migration, borders and diasporas. This work is important because hegemonic political projects worldwide require the displacement of people to expand and develop, and there is still a great deal to be learned from studying the multifaceted geographies of global displacement.
UKNow: What core principles guide your approach to teaching, and how do those show up in your classroom or learning environments?
Garcia-Velozo: I care a lot about autonomy in my classroom. I want my students to develop the skills to critically analyze a wide range of sources and engage with evidence in creative ways to organize ideas and forge their own arguments. In the classroom, this requires spending a good amount of time working through different theoretical perspectives and finding connections between course content and lived experiences, as well as allowing students to share their insights with the larger group.
UKNow: Can you share a moment, inside or outside the classroom, that affirmed the value of your work as an educator?
Garcia-Velozo: The last time I taught GEO 222 (Cities of the World, a UK Core class), students could decide what their final examinations would look like. I gave them a list of guidelines on what would be evaluated based on course objectives, and they could propose a format for their final exam or project. I met with them to discuss each proposal and align expectations, but they ultimately decided on the format. At the end of the semester, students submitted amazing and well-developed projects, including podcasts about urban issues, business plans related to urban planning, zines explaining some of the conceptual debates discussed in class and many other interventions. I was really happy with the results!
UKNow: What do you hope your students take with them after they leave your course?
Garcia-Velozo: I always hope my students take, and continue to develop, the skills we practice throughout the course. From critically examining materials — articles, op-eds, videos, films and even TikToks — to identifying reliable sources and methods, as well as organizing their own ideas and arguments on topics of interest.
UKNow: What does receiving the Outstanding Teaching Award mean to you?
Garcia-Velozo: This award is an incredible honor. Teaching is not at all easy, but it is one of the most rewarding parts of my work.
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