Title: Professor of biology
How many years have you worked at Saint Mary’s? I have worked at Saint Mary’s for 32 years. I started in a temporary one-year position but I really enjoyed Saint Mary’s, my colleagues in the Biology and Chemistry Department, and they were satisfied with my work ethic. I was given the invitation to stay with a tenure track position.
What do you enjoy/have you enjoyed most about teaching? I really enjoy teaching and sharing my passion and knowledge with students. The moment that a student has that “Ah-ha” moment is precious. A big part of my teaching has also been to encourage students to ask questions and figure out how to find the answers — the skills to be a lifelong learner.
How do you hope you are remembered/what will you most be remembered for? Great question … I hope I am remembered as a person who had a passion for science and a desire to share that passion.
What are you most proud of from your career? Seeing my students succeed. Whether it is doing well on an exam (I found out a former student was so proud of one of their biochemistry exams that they kept it on their refrigerator for years after they graduated from Saint Mary’s), presenting a poster at a regional or national meeting (I had a student present at a national meeting and became so excited about their project that they performed another experiment after they graduated.), or getting into a professional school. Having them contact me years later and let me know that I was important in their success is like the cherry on top of the ice cream sundae.
What are your retirement plans? To travel and have adventures with my husband and friends. My husband and I are also working with the Winona Middle School to start a science club for fifth- and sixth-graders.
What will you miss the most? I will miss many things. I will miss working with students on research projects. I will miss interacting with my colleagues on improving the curriculum. I will miss trying out new, innovative teaching methods.
