Outstanding Graduate Mentor Award

The Outstanding Graduate Mentor Award, presented by the Office of Graduate Studies, was created to recognize individual faculty who place high values on and excel in mentoring graduate students. Recipients must have an established record of teaching excellence at the graduate level and mentoring students who have received their degrees. They also should excel at attracting graduate students to study at UNO through recruitment efforts and a visible and respected academic reputation in their area of expertise.

Martina Saltamacchia, Ph.D.

Department of History
College of Arts and Sciences

UNO is proud to recognize Martina Saltamacchia, Ph.D., associate professor of history, as the 2025 recipient of the Outstanding Graduate Mentor Award, presented by the Office of Graduate Studies. This award celebrates her exceptional dedication to graduate student mentorship, teaching excellence, and innovative program leadership.

Saltamacchia's mentoring is defined by great care, academic rigor, and personal investment in each student's success. As graduate program chair in the Department of History, she has transformed the graduate experience through curricular innovation and inclusive advising. She connects with every prospective student and maintains individualized mentorship throughout their time at UNO, often meeting with students multiple times each semester to guide them academically, professionally, and personally.

Under her leadership, the department has grown significantly, welcoming students from across the U.S. and internationally, including new pipelines from Bangladesh and Nigeria. Recognizing the need for more flexible and professionally relevant capstone options, Saltamacchia introduced a new Portfolio Project in place of traditional exams. This option allows students to tailor their final projects toward real-world applications, such as public history exhibits, teaching portfolios, and publishable articles.

Saltamacchia’s mentoring extends beyond academics. She organizes monthly “Lunch and Learn” sessions, where students explore topics such as conference preparation, CV writing, and career options in and beyond academia. These workshops, praised for building community and professional confidence, have been instrumental in students securing grants, internships, and even Ph.D. program admissions.

In addition to teaching and advising, Saltamacchia is a passionate advocate for graduate education across campus and nationally. Through her partnership with the National Alliance of Concurrent Enrollment Partnerships (NACEP), she has led recruitment efforts and developed high-impact marketing materials and webinars to reach new graduate students, especially dual enrollment educators seeking advanced credentials.

The impact of her mentorship is best reflected in the voices of her students. One recent graduate wrote, “She truly sees mountains of potential for all her students and goes out of her way to help them harness their strengths and become better in areas for improvement.”

Nomination Information

Review the detailed nomination criteria and download the nomination form

Nomination deadline: March 1

Previous Award Winners

View the full list of award recipients