Associate Professor Ekant Veer received his national award for sustained excellence in tertiary teaching in September 2018.
"I teach because I am the product of education as a social elevator. Without education I would not be where I am.
Ekant originally embarked on a career in corporate marketing, but soon realised that the people who had the greatest impact on his life were not brand managers or CEOs, but his teachers. He returned to academia, determined to have the same impact on the lives of others.
Ekants goal is simple: for his students to leave his classroom better than when they enterednot just in terms of better knowledge of skills, tools, and theories, but a better understanding of themselves, the world, and their role in society. As one student notes, I learned more about life in one course from Ekant than I have learned throughout almost my entire student career. Using fun, humour, theatrics, and even song, Ekant has cultivated a teaching approach that reflects total accessibility, pastoral care, and an absolute commitment to equity and diversity within the university environment.
A colleague wrote about his larger than life persona, infectious enthusiasm, inclusive learning environments and mentorship of new teachers. He is the epitome of a student-focused teacher.
