As a university, we strive to do our best for our students and provide them with quality courses. The Knights’ Choice Award — a student-nominated award — recognizes a faculty member selected by students not only for their use of affordable course materials, but also for the positive impact these materials have had on students financially, academically, and even personally.
Dr. Sally Hastings, from the Nicholson School of Communication, was selected by the Student Government Association (SGA) as the recipient of the 2025 Knights’ Choice Award.
Dr. Hastings was nominated by students who highlighted her commitment to providing free and accessible course materials.
Through her dedication to affordability and student success, Dr. Hastings exemplifies the spirit of the Knights’ Choice Award.
Dr. Hastings’ commitment to using affordable instructional materials directly supports student success by removing financial barriers and allowing students to focus fully on their learning.
Here are a few excerpts from the student nominations:
“Dr. Hastings’ materials primarily consisted of her valuable expertise and experiences in public speaking. She is a wonderful professor who truly cares.”
“Dr. Hastings uses textbooks that are free for student use since they are available online. Being able to access the textbook early on, without worrying about payment or login issues, allowed me to get a head start. Additionally, the textbook often included videos and citations with links, making it easier to explore beyond the material for a deeper understanding. All assignments could be submitted through Web courses or on paper, eliminating the need to purchase homework access. This also allowed us to utilize our free honors printing if needed. Not having to worry about affording resources for this class made the experience much more enjoyable and enabled me to focus entirely on the content.”
Image left to right: Panayiota Laliotis, Sally Hastings, Timothy Letzring