Elizabeth Yost Hammer, Kellogg Professor in the Liberal Arts at Xavier University of Louisiana, has been awarded a 2026 Presidential Citation from the Society for the Teaching of Psychology, one of the organization’s highest honors recognizing transformational leadership in the science of teaching and learning.

The award recognizes Dr. Hammer’s decades of impact on psychology education, faculty development, and student success at the national and international levels. She will be formally honored during the Annual Conference on the Teaching of Psychology in St. Louis this October.

"I am deeply honored to be recognized by an organization that has been so important to my own growth as an educator,” Hammer said. “The knowledge, mentorship, and leadership opportunities I have received through the Society for the Teaching of Psychology have made me a better teacher for Xavier students."

Dr. Hammer has served Xavier for 17 years as director of the Center for the Advancement of Teaching and Faculty Development while also mentoring generations of students and faculty through her work as a professor and scholar. Her influence extends far beyond the university through leadership roles, scholarly contributions, and national initiatives focused on improving teaching practices in psychology and higher education.

Among her many accomplishments, Dr. Hammer is a past president of Psi Chi and a recipient of the Charles L. Brewer Award for Distinguished Teaching of Psychology, widely considered the discipline’s highest teaching honor. She has also served as a consulting editor for Teaching of Psychology, the flagship journal of the Society for the Teaching of Psychology, where she has completed more than 70 manuscript reviews over the course of her career — a level of scholarly service achieved by fewer than 10 individuals in the journal’s history. In addition, she served as chief reader for AP Psychology and recently co-authored Teach Like a Champ, a book designed to share effective and inspired teaching strategies with educators across academic disciplines. Her work continues to shape the future of higher education through emerging initiatives focused on artificial intelligence and workforce readiness. Dr. Hammer serves on the 2026 STP Presidential Task Force on Preparing Students for AI in the Workforce, helping integrate AI proficiency into undergraduate psychology education.

In announcing the award, STP leaders praised Dr. Hammer not only for her scholarly and professional contributions but also for her enduring mentorship and generosity toward colleagues across the field.

“We at STP are incredibly lucky and proud to count Dr. Hammer among our most distinguished colleagues,” the organization wrote in its announcement. “Her work has improved the lives of so many students, colleagues, and future generations of educators.”

The Society for the Teaching of Psychology is Division 2 of the American Psychological Association and is dedicated to promoting excellence in the teaching and learning of psychology. Additional information about the organization and the award announcement is available through the Society for the Teaching of Psychology.