In 2021, the IU Faculty Academy on Excellence in Teaching (FACET) Bloomington established the Dr. James E. Mumford Excellence in Extraordinary Teaching Awards. These awards recognize instructors who demonstrate notably innovative, creative, and compassionate teaching in response to extraordinary events. During the inaugural year, the Mumford Awards specifically sought to highlight excellence in classroom teaching, course design, and instructor-student advising in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, social justice developments, and other adverse and unexpected situations. All IU Bloomington full-time, part-time, and adjunct faculty were eligible for nomination. 

This award was named in the memory of Dr. James E. Mumford (1936-2019), who built an esteemed career first as the Director of the IU Soul Revue and later as the longtime Director of the African American Choral Ensemble. These ensembles, which are part of the African American Arts Institute (AAAI) and administered by the Office of the Vice President for Diversity, Equity, and Multicultural Affairs (OVPDEMA), firmly established Mumford as an icon on the Bloomington campus and brought prominence to the university through the performances of his students. Dr. Mumford earned his doctorate in music education from the IU Jacobs School of Music and was an active member of FACET. A documentary featuring Dr. Mumford’s teaching can be found here.

In the spirit of Dr. Mumford’s legacy and the accomplishments of the Mumford Award recipients, a significant donation was made in the awardees’ names to IU’s Crimson Cupboard Food Pantry, IU Bloomington’s on-campus resource available to all IU community members.

In 2021, we had 122 nominees and 87 awardees. We invite you to read their inspiring stories.