The College Academic Council (CAC), a body of College of Arts & Sciences (CAS) students, honored a Georgetown University economics professor at an event in Copley Formal Lounge April 21.
David Burk received the most votes from CAS graduates to earn the 2026 CAC’s faculty award. Each year, the CAC emails all former students asking them to nominate up to three professors they believe were the most impactful on their education and awards the faculty member who receives the most votes.
Burk said that, despite winning the award, he is still trying to improve his teaching methods.
“I know, of course, it’s not a sign that I’ve cracked the codes of teaching, my students and my TAs will attest to that,” Burk said at the event. “There’s plenty I can improve on, but I’m really happy to be here and be working with Georgetown students and just continue to try to learn, and I’m happy to continue to teach.”
Burk said seeing students in his statistics class become proficient over the course has been rewarding.
“And, I’m just astonished, really, how much they learn,” Burk said. “I kind of try to convey to them how impressed I am. I’m not sure that lands with them, but they really are learning a lot, and it’s a real inspiration for me.”
Burk said receiving the most votes motivated him to improve as a professor.
“I think it does put pressure on me,” Burk told The Hoya. “I did, like in the past, as I’ve thought since this was announced, ‘Oh, I really need to live up to this award,’ because there’s a little bit of imposter syndrome. I don’t really deserve this, and I have so many colleagues who are great teachers that I love to discuss teaching with.”
Saachi Baldwa, one of Burk’s teaching assistants for “Principles of Microeconomics,” who introduced him at the ceremony, said Burk’s use of creative examples helps his students learn economics.
“Professor Burk spins out economics to encourage us to see it in our everyday lives through entertaining and sometimes ridiculous examples of lemonade stands, his brother-in-law’s fertility problems, children’s search histories and 7/11 chicken,” Baldwa said at the event. “He builds our understandings of market supply, profitability and welfare economics in lasting ways.”
Stephen Trainer (CAS ’26), the president of CAC and a graduating senior, said Burk’s remarks made him feel grateful to have the opportunity to study at Georgetown.
“It made me a bit emotional because we are just so privileged to have such high-quality professors here at the school,” Trainer told The Hoya. “And for me, it was also a little bit personal, because I took the class with Professor Burk in the fall of my senior year, so last semester. And, now, it is only kind of catching up to me that this is the last time that I will take an undergraduate class. It’s something we should cherish.”
“This speech reminded me that what they do is ultimately for us and to have that kind of intensive focus on someone forming your education, your mind, your ideas, your character — it’s a rare period of life,” Trainer added.
Trainer said he believes the current selection system remains the best method of selecting a recipient, although it potentially advantages professors who teach larger classes.
“We’ve heard the complaint before,” Trainer said. “The thing that’s difficult with doing it any other way is it requires some kind of bias on our end to aggregate. And, I still think each individual vote matters. If you’re a professor that really mobilizes their student population to go out and vote through the impact they have, I’d say you can get to the same amount of votes.”
“The event really isn’t just about a faculty awardee, even though that’s who we hand the medal to. It’s about all the professors,” Trainer added.
Tina Tang (CAS ’27), a TA for Burk who also introduced him, said one of her favorite moments working for Burk was presenting on the risk spreading strategies in the dating market to underclassmen.
“My favorite moment being a TA was presenting on the risk spreading strategies in the dating market in front of underclassmen in his microeconomic principles,” Tang told The Hoya. “And, after that presentation, I talked to him, and I remember he said, ‘You know, sometimes you start to learn something when you start teaching it.’”
“I think that just resonates with me,” Tang added. “As a TA, doing the visitations and preparing for the materials, I think that’s when I start digesting the topics and actually influence how I make my decisions.”
Baldwa said Burk’s efforts to accommodate students’ needs are what make him deserving of the award.
“Professor Burk has always gone above and beyond his role as a professor,” Baldwa said. “His late-night office hours and email replies before exams, approachable nature and mentorship of students are what truly merit this award.”
