McGraw Hill has named the recipients of its 2025 Pathfinder Awards, an annual national program recognizing educators across PreK–12, higher education, and post-graduate settings who demonstrate innovative approaches to teaching and contribute to improved learning outcomes.
The Pathfinder Awards highlight educators whose methods challenge conventional instruction and create opportunities for students to succeed through inventive and inclusive practices. Recipients are selected for developing new strategies that improve student engagement, performance, and long-term achievement.
The 2025 cohort includes:
• Farah Bennani, PhD, dean of math, science, and engineering at Elgin Community College in Illinois, recognized for advancing equity in STEM education by removing barriers to hands-on scientific learning. Her work includes the use of augmented reality and artificial intelligence in teaching, as well as the development of Remote Web-Based Science Labs for the North American Network of Science Labs Online (NANSLO), designed to support access for underrepresented student populations.
• Richard Embrick, a STEM educator at Harry Wright Junior High in Texas, acknowledged for applying experiential and narrative-based methods to increase student proficiency in science and mathematics. His leadership in creating a district-wide STEM program across Fort Bend ISD and Lamar CISD has been linked to improved academic performance, retention, and postsecondary preparedness in previously underperforming schools.
• Narissra Maria Punyanunt-Carter, PhD, professor of communication studies at Texas Tech University, honored for integrating artificial intelligence tools, virtual simulations, and gamified assessments into communication education. Her emphasis on flexible, inclusive learning models has led to increased student engagement and academic success.
Each awardee will receive a $5,000 cash prize and a one-hour professional consultation from CAST, a nonprofit research and development organization known for the Universal Design for Learning framework, which supports inclusive instructional design.
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