University Teaching Initiative Award
Theresa Adelman-Mullally, Ph.D.
- Assistant Professor at Illinois State University's Mennonite College of Nursing.
- She joined Mennonite in 2018 as a faculty member, after earning a Ph.D. in Nursing from Mennonite in 2017.
My motivation to become a college professor comes from…
...those who believed in me when I didn't believe in myself (yet). As an undergraduate nursing student, I had a highly respected faculty member look at me and say "You are going to teach someday". Her proclamation made me question my limiting beliefs. I focused on graduating, then becoming an excellent nurse, and then I stepped forward into her prediction.
The resource or person that has been the most important influence in my teaching career is … (and why)
...when I was one of five faculty members nationwide selected for the NLN & Johnson and Johnson Faculty Leadership & Mentoring Program. I was paired with an amazing mentor and we worked with a larger group of four other dyads and a project director for 12 months. Words cannot capture how this experience helped me grow, and understand the value of having numerous mentors.
For me, the least favorite part of teaching is … (and why)
... "grading papers". I pour myself into this process as I'm attempting to create a dialogue by offering another perspective ("Have you considered?"). In writing a response to this question, I realized that I would like a feedback loop for graded papers. Now I will be looking into how I might go about this to add a reward for me without adding a burden on the students.
I want to continue to improve my teaching in the following ways …
Students have shared their negative self-talk and reported replacing sleep for studying. When I reflect on the unthinking self-talk, they agree that it is cruel and demotivating. I also had some students ask, "When do I sleep?". I want to help people have a better lived experience while they are a student. I have decided to integrate self-care into at least one assignment next semester.
Regarding my teaching accomplishments, I am proudest about …
While collaborating with a director of a clinical agency, she revealed that she trusted my students in her agency as she was a former student and knew my teaching style (when she shared her student name, I remembered her). As a result of our former student/teacher relationship, the clinical agency remained open to taking our students during their time of disruptive change.
“I believe that learning is a complex, experiential process and that deepening learning requires not only connection of ideas and connection with previous learning, but also (and especially) connections with supportive partnerships."