Shavonna Holman, associate professor of practice and P-12 school leadership M.A. coordinator for the Department of Educational Administration in the College of Education and Human Sciences, has been selected as the recipient of the 2025 Donald R. & Mary Lee Swanson Award for Teaching Excellence.
The annual award recognizes exemplary teaching in CEHS, and is the highest teaching honor awarded in the college.
“To win the Swanson Award feels like the deepest affirmation that my passion for teaching has truly resonated with students," Holman said. "It's the heartwarming recognition that the energy poured into creating engaging learning experiences, the belief instilled in every student to reach for high standards, and the constant striving to become a better educator have made a real difference in their journeys. It's an incredibly rewarding feeling to know that my efforts to nurture their growth and inspire their continuous learning have been seen and valued by both the students themselves and those who have championed excellence in teaching before me.”
Holman joined the faculty in EDAD as Research Assistant Professor in 2013. Prior to higher education, she spent more than 10 years in the public education sector serving both as an elementary teacher and elementary principal in diverse, urban settings.
“It was evident from our first meeting that she cares deeply about improving educational outcomes for students, educators, and leaders in Nebraska,” said Andrea Boyd, a student in the Educational Administration program and Legacy of Leaders Fellow. “Dr. Holman is attentive to her student needs. She is warm and charismatic, while bringing a sense of purpose to all situations.”
Holman’s teaching focuses on school improvement efforts, diversity and equity in educational organizations and leadership in P-12 schools. She teaches and advises students in both the M.A. and the Ed.D. programs. Holman is interested in developing leaders who are committed to: transforming the lives of students; serving and impacting students through teaching, learning, and leading; developing leaders within the school environment; and being change agents of education while seeing solutions, not just the problems. She is devoted to and passionate about evolving students into visionary thinkers, reflective learners, and servant leaders.
Holman’s outreach work includes involvement with Cognia, collaborative research efforts with the Nebraska Department of Education Title I Office and Nebraska Center for Research on Children, Youth, Families and Schools, as well as serving on the Board of Education for the Omaha Public Schools.
The Swanson Award focuses on the positive impact of teaching excellence on students. The annual award honors a professor who promotes critical and creative thinking, encourages engaged and continuous learning, holds high standards for student performance while providing ample support to all students, and consistently works to improve their teaching. A complete list of past recipients of the Swanson Award can be found at cehs.unl.edu/award-recipients/.
College of Education and Human Sciences
Educational Administration
