The A. Wade Smith Award for Teaching, Mentorship, and Service was established in 1998. According to the association, named in honor of A. Wade Smith, Ph.D., a tireless advocate for racial justice, the award recognizes an ABS member for outstanding teaching, mentoring, and service. The A. Wade Smith Award was initiated to honor our beloved colleague and outstanding contributor to the sociology profession and to Black social thought.
The award recognizes the special and often unrecognized excellent performance in teaching and mentorship. It particularly targets members who have been dedicated and innovative teachers and those who have nurtured future scholars in the field. The award further acknowledges the crucial role played by many outstanding teachers in bringing young African-American scholars into the trying and difficult world of academic achievement. Often lacking unavailable appropriate mentors and guides for their scholarship en route to undergraduate, graduate, and, particularly, Ph.D. degrees, unique dedicated individuals provide unusual support where there are few real rewards. This award recognizes this important, and invaluable, role and those who perform it well and with pride.
Dr. Pirtle will be presented with her award in April 2021 at the Annual Association of Black Sociologists Conference in Washington, DC. She was nominated by UC Merced students for her service to undergraduate and graduate teaching and mentorship, and her service to making the academy a more inclusive place. Please join us in extending our heartfelt congratulations to Dr. Pirtle for her outstanding contributions and achievements.
Lean more about the Association of Black Sociologists and their commitment to research, teaching, mentoring, service, and social justice here.
