Colorado Mesa University (CMU) Adjunct Faculty Member Christi Hein has been awarded the 2026 Teaching Award from Heterodox Academy for her work integrating free speech and civil discourse into the classroom and across campus. Her efforts include founding CMU’s Free Speech and Civil Discourse Committee and training students, faculty, resident assistants and athletes in the practice of civil disagreement.
The Heterodox Academy (HxA) is a non-partisan, non-profit membership organization committed to improving institutions of higher education by advocating principles of open inquiry, viewpoint diversity and constructive disagreement. Its annual Open Inquiry Awards recognize professionals across institutions who live out these commitments.
The Teaching Excellence Award is given to an educator who has most effectively integrated open inquiry, viewpoint diversity, or constructive disagreement into the classroom and/or curriculum. Hein, a longtime educator at Colorado Mesa University, received this award for her sustained work integrating free speech and civil discourse into the classroom and across CMU.
Hein’s work in founding CMU's Free Speech and Civil Discourse Committee, integrating free speech training into new student orientation and creating professional development opportunities for all members of campus reflect the Teaching Excellence Award’s criteria, and is a prime example of how CMU is leaning into a key pillar of teaching students how to think, not what to believe.
Working with the CMU Civic Forum, Hein helped launch the Dignity in Dialogue Speaker Series, which has hosted national figures and stimulated conversation around the value of preserving free speech and expression on a college campus and in the community. She has also taught a Free Speech and Civility course at CMU and is also member of HxA’s Speakers Bureau, where she presents on "Free Speech & Civility: How to Have Both on Your Campus."
In addition to her work on campus, Hein recently presented “Teaching Across Differences: Free Speech and Civility” to more than 80 education majors at the State University of New York at Cortland through the Galpin Institute for Civic Engagement, leading discussions on viewpoint diversity, civil discourse, and the role of the First Amendment in today’s classrooms.
Hein’s background in teaching American Government, Constitutional Law, State and Local Government and several Pre-Law courses lends her knowledge and skills to being a key figure of free speech advocacy on campus. She holds a Juris Doctorate from Ventura College of Law and master’s degrees in education: Teaching and Leadership and in U.S. History.
CMU colleges reference that Hein "has created a comprehensive and replicable model for integrating free speech and civil discourse into both curriculum and campus culture," and that "her work reflects the highest ideals of teaching excellence: transforming students, equipping future educators, and strengthening the foundations of a free and pluralistic society."
HxA’s Open Inquiry Awards honor exemplary individuals, groups and institutions who are leading the way in building cultures of open inquiry across the academy, with each recipient serving as a role model that others can learn from, be inspired by, and emulate. CMU is proud to be a campus that implements the Chicago Principles, which guide and protect free speech on campus for all students, faculty, staff and visitors.
“This year's Open Inquiry Award winners show us what it looks like to do the hard work of open inquiry — not just to believe in it, but to build it, teach it, and defend it,” HxA President John Tomasi said about this year’s winners. “From the classroom to the president's office, these honorees are creating the conditions for free inquiry to flourish. At HxA, we are proud to celebrate scholars and leaders who model the kind of principled engagement that higher education so urgently needs."