Congratulations to Amar Mahmoud, the 2025 recipient of the Warren Ober Award for Outstanding Teaching by Graduate Students! Granted annually, this award recognizes graduate students who have made a lasting impact through their teaching within the Faculty of Arts.
We are grateful to be able to recognize graduate students who have excelled in their teaching, thanks to the generous fund contribution provided by Dr. Warren Ober, Distinguished Professor Emeritusof English. A 1992 recipient of Waterloo's Distinguished Teacher Award (DTA), Ober established the Warren Ober Awards for Outstanding Teaching by a Graduate Student using the stipend he received from his DTA. Since then, each February graduate students are nominated by a faculty member.
Amar Mahmoud
Amar Mahmoud is a doctoral candidate in the School of Accounting and Finance (SAF). He has demonstrated a deep commitment to teaching and student support, beginning with his participation in the SAF PhD Student Teaching Competency Series and leading AFM101 tutorials, before independently teaching a section of AFM101 in Fall 2024.
Introductory Financial Accounting (AFM101) is a challenging course to teach, says Mahmoud’s nominator, due to the wide range of student backgrounds, levels of experience, and academic programs. Mahmoud met these challenges with enthusiasm, thoughtful preparation, and a student-centered approach. He created an engaging learning environment through a combination of mini-lectures, real-world examples, collaborative problem-solving, and active class discussions.
“Amar’s lectures were well organized and highly effective,” says Lynn Carty, Lecturer and PhD Teaching Mentor in the School of Accounting and Finance. “He made abstract accounting concepts accessible to students with little to no business background by using relevant examples and analogies from students’ own disciplines.”
Mahmoud’s impact was also reflected in his excellent Fall 2024 Course Perception Survey results, which were exceptional for a first-time instructor in a demanding course. Beyond strong classroom instruction, Mahmoud is recognized as a thoughtful mentor who creates a welcoming and inclusive learning space. He is approachable and deeply responsive to student needs—taking time to explain difficult concepts one-on-one and adapting his teaching style to support diverse learners. His ability to connect with students individually and foster their confidence sets him apart as both an educator and a mentor.