Todd Pritchard has been named by the University of Vermont Alumni Association as the 2020 recipient of its George V. Kidder Outstanding Faculty Award. Dr. Pritchard ’85, PhD’89 is a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Nutrition and Food Sciences in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at UVM.

Each year, the Kidder Award honors one full-time University of Vermont faculty member for excellence in teaching and extraordinary contributions to the enrichment of campus life. Established in memory of Dr. George V. Kidder, UVM Class of 1922, this prestigious award has been presented annually since 1974. The late George Kidder served the University for more than 70 years, including as dean of the College of Arts and Sciences.

“Todd is one of the most gifted and dedicated undergraduate educators at UVM. He has a natural gift for teaching,” said UVM Professor Catherine W. Donnelly. “Todd promotes excellence in instruction through his passion for teaching and learning, and the many examples he applies in the classroom to make learning practical, applied, and fun.”

Some of the comments received from students and faculty colleagues about Dr. Pritchard during the nomination process include:

“In the laboratory, Dr. Pritchard is a teacher of the highest caliber, who brings his lectures to life with humor and personal experience.” (Student)

“Dr. Pritchard’s role as an educator extends far beyond the classroom.  He is an academic advisor second to none, an encourager and problem solver for students in need, a patient and caring human being who invests himself personally in the well-being of his students and advisees.” (Colleague)

“What truly sets Todd apart is his extraordinary commitment to community service.  He doesn’t just teach his students about his subject matter expertise; he teaches them to be better citizens.” (Colleague)

Dr. Pritchard is well known on campus as an engaging lecturer and an exceptional advisor who goes above and beyond to help students shape their future. Further, Todd is admired by many for his commitment to service, and for sharing that commitment with students. He has helped raise tens of thousands of dollars for cancer awareness as the advisor to UVM Catamounts Against Cancer. A true citizen of the University, his positive impact has touched the lives of hundreds of UVM students, faculty, and staff.

Dr. Pritchard earned a B.S. in Agricultural Biochemistry and an M.S. and Ph.D. in Food Microbiology from the University of Vermont. He has taught at the University for the past 33 years. He teaches a range of courses from “What’s Brewing in Food Science” to “Food Technology and Food Microbiology,’ all at the undergraduate level.

The UVM Alumni Association and previous Kidder Award recipients plan to honor Dr. Pritchard in the fall at a ceremony at the UVM Alumni House.