RICHARDSON, Texas (April 16, 2001) – Dr. Marion Underwood, an associate professor of psychology, has been named teacher of the year at The University of Texas at Dallas (UTD) for the 2000-2001 academic year."

The award, which is provided each year by The University of Texas System Chancellor’s Council to recognize excellence in teaching at each of the system’s nine general academic institutions, is accompanied by a $5,000 prize and will be presented to Dr. Underwood May 18 at an Honors Convocation in the Conference Center on campus."

UTD President Dr. Franklyn G. Jenifer said Dr. Underwood, who is an associate professor in UTD’s School of Human Development, received more than one-third of all the student nominations for the award.

"That is rather extraordinary considering the fact that we have hundreds of faculty members teaching at this institution," Dr. Jenifer said. "There is no question that Dr. Underwood has made a profound connection with her students and that they think very highly of her both personally and professionally." Several of the students who nominated her said she was the best teacher they had ever had."

Dr. Underwood, who has a Ph.D. in clinical psychology from Duke University, has taught at UTD for three years." She previously taught at Reed College in Portland, Oregon."A former National Merit Scholarship winner, Dr. Underwood teaches courses in abnormal psychology and has published widely."She also has done extensive research on anger and aggression among girls and currently is working on a book entitled "Ice and Fire:"Anger and Aggression Among Girls."

The associate professor said she was "both surprised and delighted" to have been selected for the teaching award.

"I am very privileged to teach at UTD and to work with such excellent students."Every day they amaze me, not just with their intellect and motivation, but also with their compassion, responsiveness and openness to different ways of teaching and learning," she said.

The University of Texas at Dallas, located at the convergence of Richardson, Plano and Dallas in the heart of the complex of major multinational technology corporations known as the Telecom Corridor®, enrolls approximately 6,500 undergraduate and 4,500 graduate students."UTD faculty members have an established tradition of scholarly achievement, and its freshman class annually stands at the forefront of Texas state universities in terms of SAT scores." The university offers bachelor's, master's and doctoral degrees.