UNC Asheville was recently named a “Best Buy” in the Fiske Guide to Colleges 2022, a title given to only 10 public + 10 private universities each year. The university was also honored as a 2021-22 College of Distinction, based on its robust undergraduate research program, campus experience and excellence in teaching. 👏

As the UNCA community looks forward to a return to campus this fall, we were curious to hear from its professors. Where did they find inspiration this past year? How did their connections with students thrive? What are they bringing back to their classrooms, and what are they looking forward to this semester?

Here’s what they had to say:

Renuka Gusain, Lecturer in Humanities

How she stayed connected with students:
“A surprising number of former students reached out to me via email and on social media, and that’s when I started sending out group emails to classes I have taught in the past couple of years. I’d send them uplifting poetry, articles about being attentive to our well-being, but also hilarious memes. It became my way of letting them know that I was thinking of them and wished them and theirs well during this global pandemic.”

What she learned:
“Our students are brilliant, sure, but also kind, thoughtful, and attentive to the world and its people. Frankly, that has given me so much hope and even moments of joy in this past year. [The pandemic] really underscored for me the importance of having a critical compassionate pedagogy and seeing students as co-creators of and collaborators in our community of learners. I can't wait to see them all in person and express what an honor it is for me to share in their educational journey for the years they are at UNC Asheville and beyond.”

R. Graham Reynolds, Associate Professor of Biology

What he wants students to know:
“While the last few semesters have been challenging for faculty, we are especially aware of how hard it has been on our students. We want our students to feel seen, to know that their teachers understand the difficulties and challenges that they and their families have gone through or continue to go through. The college experience was changed during this time, but we really want students to know that we cannot wait to get back into the classroom with them this fall. We are so excited to see their faces, to hear their stories, and to inspire their continued learning.”

What he learned + how he pivoted:
“The faculty learned many important lessons over the last few semesters: how to be better communicators, how to meet students where they are, and how to structure our lessons and assignments to make them more equitable and accessible. We also found fun ways to come together — the Biology Department held our first ever BioBlitz, where faculty and students surveyed a tract of mountain land near Asheville documenting all the species that occurred there. But most of all, we further appreciated how much it means to us, as educators, to interact with our students.

My research is largely focused on the conservation of vertebrates in the Caribbean, so I had to pivot some of my work out of necessity these last couple years. But, my research students and I have come up with some fascinating new projects that can run remotely. Austin, a senior Biology major, is conducting satellite surveillance of a remote national park in the Bahamas, using daily high-resolution satellite images to quantify visitor use in the park for the first time. This is particularly relevant as the park is home to numerous endangered species, including the most endangered boa in the world. Austin can conduct this research from his laptop anywhere he happens to be, and the results will have a profound impact on how the park might be managed. This summer we are also in the process of describing a new species of snake we discovered, the third new species from the lab, so stay tuned.” 🐍

Tiece M. Ruffin, Professor of Education and Interim Director of Africana Studies

What she’s looking forward to:
“In-person experiences with sustained interaction and connection without missing anything when hopping from one breakout room to another. Seeing facial expressions and all meta communications, and possibly sitting on the lawn discussing a journal or field experience visit. The best will be UNCA education students in schools and classrooms with teachers and students — my students have not physically been in K-12 settings since March 2020. Real time in real schools and educational settings are irreplaceable. They had virtual experiences, remote tutoring, in some cases, but mostly teaching demonstrations via videos. I’m excited to have discussions about the dynamism, flexibility, and ability to pivot that goes with physically teaching in person in schools.”

How she pivoted:
“Throughout 2020-2021, I taught education-based courses fully online with complementary virtual/digital field experiences in K-12 and/or community-based settings (some virtual and some onsite, chosen by students). I intentionally used strategies and techniques to build a connected and positive virtual learning community, pacing content with supplemental virtual podcasts or videos so as to not take up too much class time on direct instruction. I routinely offered breakout room sessions with case study analysis or critical thinking think tanks and incorporated technology to make synchronous class time stimulating and engaging.

In AFST 274 (MisEducation & Self-Determination), students engaged in service learning with community-based organizations serving Black children and youth in Asheville. Ten students were hosted across 6 organizations: My Daddy Taught Me That, My Sistah Taught Me That, Christine Avery Learning Center, Colorful Pages Coalition, Marvelous Math Club, and Open Doors. The service-learning component of the class provided an opportunity for students to not only study education, but to work with community organizations making a difference in the lives of Black children and youth.”

Read more about this work, including the STEM educational fun packs headed to K-12 students this fall, funded by a Dogwood Health Trust Racial Equity Community Grant.

Thank you to these UNC Asheville professors for sharing their time + words. Ⓟ