Erin Mathia, assistant professor and the assistant director of the Doctor of Occupational Therapy program, was awarded the 2025 Dean’s Distinguished Teaching Award, recognizing her outstanding commitment to teaching, mentorship and student growth within the University of Pittsburgh School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences (SHRS).
Mathia has been with SHRS since 2018 and has devoted her time to providing students with support, guidance and encouragement, uplifting the teaching mission of SHRS.
“Receiving the 2025 SHRS Dean’s Distinguished Teaching Award is an incredible honor, and I am truly touched by this recognition,” Mathia said. “Teaching has always been a true joy and gives me the opportunity to learn alongside my students, witness their growth and celebrate their successes. This award reflects not only my passion for teaching but also the curiosity and enthusiasm my students bring to the classroom. They inspire me daily to keep learning, growing and fostering spaces where students feel supported and empowered to reach their potential.”
Mathia has worked closely with occupational therapy students during their community-based fieldwork experiences, providing mentorship from her 10+ years of clinical involvement.
Juleen Rodakowski, chair of the Department of Occupational Therapy and associate professor, noted that Mathia’s teaching reflects a deep commitment to excellence, innovation and student-centered learning.
“Erin inspires students to become active participants in their own learning and models the reflective, evidence-based practice that defines excellence in occupational therapy,” Rodakowski said. “Her commitment to hands-on, experiential learning empowers students to translate knowledge into meaningful action, preparing them to serve clients and communities with skill and compassion.”
Mathia’s students describe her as the kind of educator who inspires excellence, fosters confidence and meets students where they are and someone who genuinely cares that they understand the material, feel confident using it and above all else, prioritizes them as people first and sees them for all that they are.
Her colleagues shared in this sentiment, stating that Mathia inspires confidence, cultivates independent thinkers and embodies the rare combination of pedagogical excellence, innovation and deep human connection.
Interim Dean David C. Beck shared Mathia’s legacy as an educator within SHRS.
“Dr. Erin Mathia represents the very best of SHRS as an educator who demonstrates excellence, innovates and leads with humanity,” Beck said. “In her classroom, curiosity and rigor meet compassion and belonging. She meets students where they are, inspires them to develop themselves, and helps them see what they can do and who they can become. Her influence reaches far beyond her lectures: it shapes the next generation of professionals and, in doing so, strengthens our School and the world around us.”
With Mathia’s continued influence present within Pitt OT, Rodakowski emphasized that the award is a well-deserved recognition of Mathia’s transformative impact on both her students and the OT profession.
“Erin exemplifies the very best of what we strive for in OT and SHRS,” Rodakowski said. “Her approach bridges theory and practice seamlessly, preparing students to become leaders who will advance the field of occupational therapy and make meaningful impacts in the lives of those they serve. The Dean’s Distinguished Teaching Award is a well-deserved recognition of her transformative impact on both her students and the profession.”
