Two Teaching Awards Announced
POSTED ON: Monday, January 12, 2026 2:11 PM by USNA Public Affairs
We are very pleased to share two stellar examples of the excellent faculty members that support the Brigade through their academic and professional development. We have recently awarded two with the following teaching awards:
The Class of 1951 Teaching Excellence Award (the Benac) has been awarded to Professor Brendan Doherty. Please also congratulate Prof. Marcus Hedahl and Prof. Emily Retzlaff who received honorable mentions from the committee.
Dr. Doherty is a remarkably effective teacher whose expertise and enthusiasm inspire a love of learning in the midshipmen who take his dynamic and interactive classes. Dr. Doherty has also supported midshipmen learning outside the classroom, including his work as a Senior Academic Adviser, as faculty adviser to midshipmen competing for the Truman Scholarship and participating in the fellowship program of the Center for the Study of the Presidency and Congress, as coordinator of the Congress to Campus program, and as faculty chair of the Naval Institute Conference on the Military and Politics. His efforts over the last seventeen years have enhanced the educational experiences of thousands of midshipmen and who, as a result, have been better prepared to serve and lead as officers in the fleet.
The Clements Teaching Award has been awarded to LT Joseph Dinkel. Please also congratulate CDR Jennie Hill who received an honorable mention from the committee.
LT Dinkel is a dedicated instructor, mentor, and colleague who inspires midshipmen to think critically, write precisely, and question constantly. He prepares them to become strong communicators in the Fleet by teaching plebe-level Rhetoric and Introduction to Literature, as well as upper-level courses in Professional Communication, Topics in Film and Literature, and Literature of War. His commitment to midshipmen is evident through his involvement as an English Majors and Plebe Advisor, his role as a military mentor at the Gettysburg Leadership Encounter, and his guidance as a fellowship advisor and Deputy Director for the Senior United Kingdom International Scholarship Program (SUKISP). Additionally, he supports the SEAL Program as Operations Officer and led a Language, Regional Expertise, and Culture (LREC) excursion to Greece. LT Dinkel exemplifies professionalism, selfless service, and an indomitable spirit, demonstrating unwavering dedication to the mission of the United States Naval Academy and the development of its future leaders.
Category: Academics