23 Feb 2021
Professor Jessica Shoemaker is the 2019-2020 recipient of the Ray H. Bunger Memorial Award for Excellence. This award is an annual award chosen on the basis of demonstrated excellence in teaching, research, academic promise, and achievement related to the fulfillment of the research and teaching mission of the University of Nebraska College of Law. The donor for this award gave this gift to commemorate the life of the donor’s father, Ray H. Bunger, who was a lifelong devoted supporter of the University of Nebraska. He sent his three sons to the University of Nebraska for varying periods and several of his grandchildren also received education at the University. He firmly believed that “a good education is something that can never be taken away from you.” He was president of the Franklin County School District #44 and Secretary of the Board of Upland COOP Credit Association.
Professor Shoemaker had an outstanding year at the College of Law. Her research productivity – two articles and a book chapter, along with significant progress on two more articles – was incredible. Her scholarship is important and recognized nationally for its quality and impact. In fact, the quality of her scholarship this year is reflected, in part, by its placement in a top law review (California Law Review), a top publication house (Cambridge University Press), and double-blind peer reviewed interdisciplinary journal (Journal of Law, Property, and Society). Professor Shoemaker also did a tremendous job ensuring that her scholarship was considered across the globe through a dozen presentations and her work for various international conferences and workshops.
As impressive as her scholarship was, equally impressive is the work Professor Shoemaker put into her teaching. She engaged new pedagogical tools in her courses, particularly Property. Her student evaluations reflected the care and concern she demonstrated throughout the fall semester. Although this course enrolled 70+ students, Professor Shoemaker was able to assign real-world experiences, experiential learning, provide consistent feedback on exercises, and facilitate small-group discussions.
Professor Shoemaker also was a part of a successful Appointments Committee, which hired three talented professors. She also engaged with the Pro Bono Committee and the Equal Justice Society. Significantly, Professor Shoemaker’s service went beyond the College of Law as she led numerous international efforts to build on the work and relationships she developed during her Fulbright year in Canada.