The 2025-26 Kreider Prize for Teaching Excellence recipient is Dr. Leyla Batakci, Professor of Mathematical Sciences. The honor is awarded annually to a current Elizabethtown College faculty member to celebrate excellence in teaching and mentoring.
“I’d like to express my sincere thanks to the students, colleagues, and alumni who nominated me for the Kreider Prize for Teaching Excellence,” Batakci said. “I’m truly honored by this recognition and by the confidence placed in me as an educator. Mathematics has a reputation for being out of reach, but my deepest joy as an educator is proving otherwise — helping students trade anxiety for curiosity and self-doubt for genuine confidence. I am continually moved by how much our students grow through their encounters with mathematics, and I remain grateful for every opportunity to broaden their sense of what is possible.”
The Professional Development Committee chose Batakci from nominations submitted by alumni, current students, faculty, and staff. In addition to receiving a monetary award, she will be invited to deliver the Kreider Prize Lecture this fall. More details to follow.
“The Professional Development Committee is pleased to select Dr. Leyla Batakci for the 2025-26 Kreider Prize,” Dr. Jodi Lancaster, Associate Provost for Student Learning and Dean of Faculty, said. “Students and colleagues who nominated Batacki describe her as an inspiring educator whose impact extends far beyond the classroom.”
Nomination letters highlighted Batacki’s intellectually rigorous and creative teaching style, noting her ability to make complex material accessible while fostering an engaging and supportive learning environment. These qualities reflect her dedication to continuous pedagogical growth, collaboration, and the Kreiders’ legacy of excellence in teaching and mentorship.
About the Kreider Prize:
Through the generosity of Dr. Thomas H. Conner ’72, professor of history at Hillsdale College, the annual award is made possible and awarded to a current Elizabethtown College faculty member in recognition of excellence in teaching and commitment to his/her field of study. The award is named in honor of J. Kenneth Kreider, professor of history emeritus, and Carroll L. Kreider, professor of business emerita, “for their inspirational service to countless students at Elizabethtown College.” The Kreiders were not only inspirational in the classroom but also were powerful mentors and role models. Learn more.