Dr. Ashlee
Dr. Hemmesch
Dr. Lehman
Dr. Julius
Dr. Pfohl
The "sage on the stage" is out. The teacher-scholar is in – great news for
Through a teacher-scholar model, professors are not only expected to engage in active research and publishing in their field of study but also to include students in their practice of inquiry, directly as assistants and by incorporating discovery into their curriculum. Frequently, teaching itself becomes a topic for research as well.
"From accounting to zoology, every one of our professors is active in their discipline and is working to create and to share knowledge about it," said Dr. Claudia Tomany, associate provost for Research and Sponsored Programs and dean of Graduate Studies.
These teacher-scholars are the primary educators at the school. "We don't have an army of graduate students or a lot of adjunct faculty who teach a large number of classes," Dr. Tomany said. Students benefit from exposure to research that is varied and fascinating.
The focus on teacher-scholars is part of the
"Beyond that comes the skills students learn from their teacher-scholars," Dr. Tomany said. "What we think is true today...will be outdated in two years, but your lifelong ability to continue to ask questions and create knowledge – that is what you take away for life."
An assistant professor and graduate director in College Counseling and Student Development, Dr. Ashlee is deeply involved in teaching future counselors and educators, focusing on innovative and inclusive new approaches and philosophies. She is the faculty fellow for the Belonging Mindset initiative, seeking ways to incorporate contemplative practices and mindfulness into teaching. She is also researching the experiences of Hmong student affairs educators.
"My identity as an educator, as a teacher and as a scholar is very integrated," she said. "What happens in the classroom is absolutely informed by the scholarship that I'm doing outside of the classroom."
Dr. Hemmesch is a professor in the Department of Psychology and co-director of the SCSU Survey Center. The SCSU Survey Center is a unique asset, supporting
Dr. Hemmesch's disciplinary research studies the effects of chronic conditions on a patient's emotional well-being, for example, how social support or stigma affects people living with different diseases. "The goal was really to figure out where we have gaps in services and how we can address those gaps," she said.
"Not only is it our job to teach, but we also have to model ourselves as scholars because [students] are scholars too," said Dr. Lehman, professor and chair of of Department of Ethnic, Gender and Women's Studies and author of Slavery's Reach, winner of the Minnesota Book Award.
The study of public records is key to Dr. Lehman's research. Students learn to look through property records, deeds, and contracts, and see firsthand the reach of slavery and racism – for example, finding local land once owned by enslavers, or 20th century racial covenants that excluded minorities from homeownership in Minnesota towns and neighborhoods, making the link to history more personal for students.
His expertise in the evolution and diversification of algae has led Dr. Julius, department chair and professor of Biology, to international collaboration on a wide array of projects – from algae-based biological scaffolds that help regrow bone in cancer patients, to working on an international educational project to teach middle and high school students about water quality, to discovering new uses for algae.
Seeing students develop is one of Dr. Julius's favorite things. "We're bringing the students to the end of what we know, and [they] have to apply that to create new stuff," he said. "It is so fulfilling to watch the students go through that transformation."
Dr. Pfohl is a professor in the Department of Social Work, but helps students in all majors when they take advantage of one of SCSU's unique assets: An overseas campus in a renovated castle in Alnwick, England, near the Scottish border, where any
In her research, Dr. Pfohl has used the overseas location to study how the British address serious social issues and health care compared to U.S. practices. "I really see this as my opportunity for my own academic adventure," she said. "I'm not done in my own learning and growing and need to be able to do that alongside the students."
The world has changed. In higher education, It's Time for a new approach. At
With an enhanced focus on students and their success, we're providing a world-class education to ensure they graduate prepared for a career on day one. Students are at the heart of
It's Time emphasizes fields that are important to our state, its citizens and its businesses. This has led
As University President Robbyn Wacker says, "It's Time recognizes and builds upon our institutional strengths, forward-thinking research, and academic excellence as we identify new and innovative ways to serve our students and state."
Protect the Pack safety protocols were employed based on community safety conditions and the rate of transmission of Covid during the filming of the stories in this series.