SEEQs Deadline Is Coming Up: Help Students Make Their Feedback Count
The end-of-semester Student Evaluation of Educational Quality (SEEQ) surveys are now open, and the deadline for students to complete them is December 14. Schreyer Institute consultants use SEEQ responses regularly when working with instructors, so strong participation and thoughtful feedback make a real difference in the quality of course consultations.
Faculty can play a key role in helping students understand why their feedback matters and how to provide it effectively. A few simple actions can significantly increase both response rates and the usefulness of the comments you receive:
- Tell students that most course improvements come directly from student responses.
- Offer a brief example of what helpful feedback looks like (specific, constructive, and focused on learning).
- Remind students that SEEQ forms are currently open and share where to find them in your course system.
- Reserve a few minutes of class time or a quiet space for students to complete the surveys.
- Make it clear that you value their feedback and will use it to inform future versions of the course.
For more ideas and ready-to-use language you can share with students, visit our page on Increasing Student Response Rates and Feedback Quality.
General information about SEEQs and end-of-semester student feedback is available at End-of-Semester Feedback Using SEEQs.
Griselda Conejo-Lopez Teaching Award Story
Penn State Teaching Awards
Advancing Excellence in Teaching at Penn State
As part of The Schreyer Institute’s mission to advance and inspire teaching excellence in the Penn State instructional community, we host three of the eight recognition awards offered to Penn State faculty.
The George W. Atherton Award for Excellence in Teaching is presented each year to six faculty members who have devoted substantial effort to undergraduate teaching. The Milton S. Eisenhower Award for Distinguished Teaching is generally awarded to two faculty who, in addition to being outstanding teachers themselves, have also provided support or mentoring to others. Finally, the Penn State Alumni Association Award for Excellence in Teaching recognizes distinguished teaching and provides a forum for encouraging effective teaching.
Faculty Nomination Process
Each year, students, staff, and fellow faculty from across all Penn State campuses nominate faculty members for one of these awards based on their ability to connect with students and demonstrate excellence in teaching.
Award Recipient Spotlight
Griselda Conejo-Lopez
Assistant Teaching Professor of Computer Science and Engineering,
Penn State College of Engineering
Griselda Conejo-Lopez received the 2025 George W. Atherton Award for Excellence in Teaching in recognition of her outstanding contributions to undergraduate education.
Conejo-Lopez has been with Penn State for nearly eight years, beginning as a lecturer and advancing to her current role as Assistant Teaching Professor of Computer Science and Engineering, as well as serving as an Accreditation Coordinator. Her teaching is guided by three core philosophies: one size does not fit all, listen and emphasize, and embrace change. With a focus on students as individuals, she has created a personalized and inclusive learning environment that has left a lasting impression on students and colleagues alike.
Teaching Philosophy in Practice
Designing for Diverse Learners
Conejo-Lopez’s experiences with diverse learning styles in the classroom—and as a parent of a school-aged child with learning disabilities—have deeply shaped her approach to teaching. Over time, her students have reinforced the idea that there is no single method that works for everyone.
To address this, she incorporates a variety of instructional strategies, including live coding, group work, visual aids, guided worksheets, and reflection questions, offering students multiple entry points into the material.
“It’s made me more flexible and intentional in how I design course materials and other activities.”
Building Connection from Day One
At the beginning of each course, Conejo-Lopez invites students to create personalized PowerPoint posters featuring photos, hobbies, fun facts, and a “two truths and a lie” prompt. She models the activity by presenting her own poster and provides detailed, individualized feedback on each student’s submission.
She explains that starting the semester this way “helps establish a positive and supportive classroom atmosphere from the very beginning,” making students more comfortable seeking help and engaging throughout the term.
Encouraging Collaboration and Growth
Conejo-Lopez also emphasizes active learning through a driver-passenger activity she adopted from a Penn State Leonhard Center workshop. Students work in pairs, alternating roles between the “driver,” who actively codes or solves problems, and the “passenger,” who guides, reviews, and reflects on the process.
“Initially, I expected this to be just a way to keep students working together, but I found it actually deepens their understanding much more than I anticipated.”
She notes that switching roles ensures all students practice both hands-on problem-solving and higher-level critical thinking, boosting confidence and technical skills.
A Lasting Impact
Closing out her story, Conejo-Lopez encourages educators to prioritize trust and approachability in the classroom. Simple practices—such as learning students’ names, responding thoughtfully to introductions, and showing genuine interest in their backgrounds—can significantly increase student engagement and willingness to seek support.
“Teaching isn’t about having all the answers right away; it’s about listening, adapting, and being open to learning alongside your students.”
Learn More
Read Griselda Conejo-Lopez’s full teaching philosophy and explore the Penn State Teaching Awards on the Penn State Undergraduate Teaching Awards page.
