UND Founders Day

Patrick Henry, Assistant Professor, English, College of Arts & Sciences

Dr. Henry demonstrates a thoughtful approach to teaching, grounded in a deep understanding of pedagogical research in his field. He consistently applies these insights to engage students and foster their growth as writers.

Dr. Henry employs dynamic teaching methods, ensuring students are actively involved in hands-on, creative tasks. He integrates new technologies into his classes and dedicates significant time to provide personalized feedback on student writing.

Recognizing the broader significance of teaching Creative Writing, Dr. Henry prioritizes the development of students as whole individuals, emphasizing skills such as critical thinking, empathy, and community engagement.

Dr. Henry's dedication to mentoring individual students is exemplary, with students consistently praising his selfless support and guidance in their educational journeys.

Dr. Henry actively contributes to enhancing all Creative Writing courses, collaborating with colleagues to elevate the learning experiences for all students.

Dr. Henry extends his instructional efforts beyond traditional classroom settings, fostering campus-wide appreciation for the arts and facilitating student engagement with the broader writing community.

Dr. Henry spearheads initiatives such as Floodwall (student-run literary magazine), Greenway Press (student-run press), and the Writing, Editing, and Publishing Speaker Series, providing platforms for students to practice editing and publishing.

Dr. Henry's diverse expertise and credentials equip him as an exceptionally adaptable teacher and collaborator, enhancing his effectiveness in various teaching and professional contexts.

In summary, Dr. Patrick Henry's comprehensive contributions to teaching and student engagement exemplify his outstanding qualifications for the undergraduate teaching award.

Radha Panini, Teaching Associate Professor, Mathematics, College of Arts & Sciences

Dr. Panini's dedication to high-quality teaching and her transformative influence within the department are prominently acknowledged. Her commitment to elevating the teaching standards is evident.

Dr. Panini's resume underscores her concerted efforts to enhance teaching methodologies department-wide. Additionally, her active involvement in service initiatives like the UND Task Force for the Future of Education and the UND Math Track Meet reflects her broader engagement in educational enhancement.

Through her teaching narrative, Dr. Panini showcases a continuous pursuit of improvement, emphasizing a diverse range of teaching modalities and support mechanisms. Her emphasis on individualized student support and maintenance of high standards resonates throughout her philosophy.

Numerous student testimonials affirm Dr. Panini's impact, highlighting qualities such as commitment, clarity, patience, and kindness. The abundance of student support underscores her profound influence on student learning experiences.

SELFI score summaries across various courses illustrate Dr. Panini's consistent ability to meet and exceed students' expectations, thereby creating a high-quality learning environment across a broad spectrum of courses.

In summary, Dr. Radha Panini epitomizes excellence in teaching and student engagement, as evidenced by the comprehensive dossier showcasing her dedication, innovation, and profound impact on both teaching practices and student learning outcomes.

Radomir 'Ray' Mitic, Assistant Professor of Higher Education in the Department of Education, Health & Behavior Studies, College of Education & Human Development

Dr. Mitic is thoughtful, responsive, and authentic in his approach to teaching. He employs varied approaches for delivering material through planned lessons, assignments, and learning activities that require student input.

I applaud Dr. Mitic for effective use of a high challenge, high support model in teaching as well as advising.

Dr. Mitic is an exemplary instructor who consistently demonstrates to students that he genuinely cares about their learning and success generally and personally through the time and effort given to his courses and students individually.

“I had the privilege to enroll in one of Dr. Mitic’s graduate level courses which eventually led to him serving as a co-chair on my dissertation in practice committee. I appreciate how Dr. Mitic took his knowledge and experience and built it into class through his presentations and discussions. This helped me make connections between the course concepts, my dissertation in practice, and the work I was doing in my full-time job. Dr. Mitic was patient, supportive, and encouraging, his feedback was thoughtful and helpful. I am grateful for the opportunity to work with Dr. Mitic and learn from him during my final year of my doctoral program. He is knowledgeable, dedicated, inspiring, and a faculty member I admire. I have been able to go back and use information I learned from Dr. Mitic’s class and my time working with him on my dissertation in practice in my current position as a faculty member at a community college. He made it easy to apply course content to real world settings. Dr. Mitic is an outstanding educator, and I cannot think of anyone more deserving of this award!”

“Dr. Mitic was my Graduate Advisor while in my final semester of the Higher Education Graduate Program at the University of North Dakota. He was a undeniable support during my last semester finishing up my Program Plan and offered options and opinions on my work, but also allowed me space to learn and make adjustments on my project based on my thoughts.”

“Dr. Mitic is an exceptional research advisor, and I believe the difference between a good advisor and an exceptional advisor is the student experience. As I reflect on my dissertation process, I am immensely grateful for the challenge, fun, compassion, insight, and discussion Dr. Mitic brought to my research experience. He was extremely timely with all emails, and he spent endless hours engaging in zoom meetings and dissertation edits to ensure my success. I was very appreciative of his constructive and thoughtful feedback because he always pushed me to think further, expand more, and add more research to enrich each artifact. Dr. Mitic’s constant support and timely feedback minimized my stress and optimized my success throughout the process. He remains a significant contributor to my positive experience at UND, and he has truly made a positive impact on my life. I felt strongly that you know the amazing qualities this educator brings to your university as he goes above and beyond in all aspects of education.”

Jessica Zerr, Teaching Professor, English, College of Arts & Sciences

Jessica excels as Co-Director of Composition, dedicating significant time and energy to teaching, administration, and service at the University. Despite her heavy workload, she consistently supports colleagues, GTAs, and students. As Administrative Director of Composition, she oversees numerous tasks including class scheduling, instructor hiring, and program evaluation. She handles challenges with patience and diligence, always prioritizing the needs of students and colleagues. Beyond the English Department, she contributes to university-wide committees and initiatives, demonstrating a commitment to higher education's transformative power. Her service is driven by a belief in meaningful, thoughtful contributions to the academic community, inspiring others to do the same.

Student and Colleague Letters of Support

• Professor Zerr always brings genuine thought, engagement, and reflection to all of her service and administrative responsibilities.
• She cares about the larger educational goals of the Composition program, the Essential Studies program, and the University as she puts these values into practice through her work with students, graduate students, and colleagues.
• Her decision-making, about both policy and curriculum, is always shaped by research in the field of writing studies and scholarly knowledge of pedagogy.
• She regularly takes part in opportunities for her own professional development—and generously gives her time and expertise to the professional development of others through presentations and workshops.
• Her door is always open to GTAs, and she works to support them and build their confidence as teachers; she models to them the very engagement that they will in turn give students in the writing classroom.
• Her support, thoughtfulness, and engagement has earned her the deep trust of her colleagues in the Department, College, and University

Taufique Mahmood, Associate Professor, Geology & Geological Engineering, College of Engineering & Mines

“Dr. Mahmood has very international working group which is one of his biggest strength – uniting students of very diverse backgrounds that help each other unraveling scientific problems.”

“Dr. Mahmood does not only bring research quality to the college: he was also awarded 5 significant grants just in the time since I started, one of them the reputable early career grant for faculty from NSF. The total of all grants he brought in in the past two years amounts to over 1.6 million dollars.”

“It is important that our students are introduced to modern methods and technology as well as modern approaches to tackle scientific problems in their studies. It is therefore commendable and highlights Dr. Mahmood’s broad approach to research that the studies he carries out with his students include modeling of watersheds and fluctuating dry versus moist conditions under different climatic scenarios.”

Diana D'Amico Pawlewicz, Associate Professor, College of Education & Human Development

Dr. D'Amico Pawlewicz fosters an engaging and inclusive learning environment, utilizing innovative teaching methods and demonstrating deep expertise, respect for students, and genuine care. She has an impressive scholarly profile with publications in esteemed journals, including the American Educational Research Journal and Harvard Education Review. She serves as an editor at the Washington Post's Made by History section and presents her research nationally and internationally. Her scholarly work, including her book "Blaming Teachers," has received prestigious awards, demonstrating her significant contributions to the field. Overall, Dr. D'Amico Pawlewicz is a nationally and internationally recognized scholar, dedicated educator, and valued colleague.

Diana is an exemplary scholar in all her commitments as a professor. She challenges and motivates her students. I require all my students to take her scholarly writing course because she is so effective at training academic writing. She meets with her doctoral students regularly to discuss readings to advance their knowledge of scholarship. Her research on the history of society blaming teachers has received national attention. For example, she has published in the Washington Post and served as an editor on a history series for the paper. Her work on rural education is critical given the needs of the state. She provides thoughtful service and engages in activities throughout the university and the state. For example, she has been an advocate for theoretical work to be central to the doctoral experience in the college. Above all, she is a committed and thoughtful academic who I am fortunate to have as a colleague.

As an advisor, Dr. D'Amico Pawlewicz pushes me to be fearless in seeking opportunities. Without her, I would not have applied to as many conferences as I have, and she has buoyed my confidence in my research and writing abilities. Last winter, through her class, I developed an intellectual curiosity in the history of teacher housing. Over the spring she challenged me to narrow my focus, conduct research, and write a proposal. This November, I am presenting in a session at the History of Education Society's annual conference—an event that I would have been shocked to know I was presenting at this time last year. I know that I can take any question, problem, or curiosity to her because she has proven time and time again that she has my back. At the same time, she pushes me and does not coddle me.”

“Diana is a collaborative and servant leader. Just as she listens to her students, she listens to her colleagues and constituents. She is able to gracefully navigate the committee's charge and be mindful of members' personal boundaries, work-life balance, and encouraging all members to share their voices. Diana is professional, organized, practical, collaborative, kind, and generous with her support.”

Samantha Peterson, Assistant Professor, Medical Labratory Science, School of Medicine & Health Sciences

Sam’s knowledgeable, excellent communication, and personable approach to academic advising is well receive by students she works with. Sam is always available to students and takes the time to get to know students in a personal way to in order to help build relationships and offer the best service possible!

Beau Simon

Beau is a great communicator who puts himself in his students’ shoes while working with them. He strives to know his students on an individual basis and takes a great deal of interest in their passions, goals, and current activities. Beau finds new ways to incorporate ideas for students to explore during academic advising meetings to bolster students resumes.

Shannon Lee

Shannon is an incredible advisor who is timely, communicative and cares deeply for the students she advises. She always has a smile on her face and was knowledgeable in every aspect of the aerospace degrees and curriculum requirements. Shannon works hard to help students navigate the complex nature of aviation requirements toward the ultimate goal of graduation!

Carla Sanden

Carla does a great job lifting students’ spirits along the way of the challenging business curriculum. She takes the time to care, listen, and follow up very quickly to student questions and concerns. Carla will connect students directly to the right person if she doesn’t have the answer to a question, which shows her level of care and concern for the students she serves!

Katlyn Storm

Katlyn’s dedication to students and student success is incredibly appreciated, and her ability of navigating tricky student situations is appreciated by her coworkers as well. Katlyn works very closely with students to understand how their time at UND can connect to the personal goals a student has for a career. Katlyn's attitude towards academic advising is approachable, friendly service while finding time to learn more about each student’s situation.

Lani Moen

Lani has always gone above and beyond to help students transition to UND. Lani helps students through the red tape of academic and does so with an encouraging and positive attitude. Lani’s end goal is to help students achieve their academic and personal goals. Lani is incredibly communicative, personable and warm in every interaction with students.

Andrea Gargano

Andrea’s approach to academic advising is to help manage, organize, or find answers to students questions. Andrea manages her time well and is very communicative with students who seeks advice to their educational goals. Andrea provides great feedback and advice, but also allows students the space to voice their concerns and find their own path alongside her guidance.

Trudy Soli

Trudy has been a staple in the Army ROTC program for over 30 years. Trudy has helped many cadets figure out what classes to take, how to graduate college and become an army officer to serve this country. Trudy has done so much for this country and cadets, that cadets that have graduated ten years ago ask if she still works here. Many students have stated they don’t know where they would be without her guidance!

Tracy Enger, Clinical Associate Professor, Nursing, College of Nursing & Professional Disciplines

Tracy Enger was selected for the UND Excellence in Assessment Award due to her dedication to assessment during the year. Tracy met with the assessment office multiple times outside of training sessions to discuss assessment best practices as well as alignment to their external accreditation criteria. She focused on high-quality data collection that is relevant to the programs, and ensures that action items are identified when targets are not met.

Melissa Gjellstad, Chair, Professor & Director of Norwegian, Languages, College of Arts & Sciences

Melissa has transformed the typical "Great Literary Works of Norway" course by challenging traditional notions of literature. Instead of sticking to established texts, she created a new course focused on "Nordic Council Prizewinners" that included diverse genres like film and music, making it more relevant and engaging for students.

Dr. Gjellstad fostered a supportive environment where students tackled complex topics like the age of sexual consent and actively participated in shaping the course structure. Their feedback influenced everything from trigger warnings to essay questions, leading to discussions on themes like mental health and travel.

Student evaluations highlighted the profound impact of the course's diversity and cultural relevance. Dr. Gjellstad's inclusive selection of texts aimed to decolonize the curriculum and examine the mechanisms behind literary prizes and publishing.

Dr. Gjellstad's innovative teaching methods and dedication to inclusivity have greatly enriched the learning experience for her students, fostering critical thinking and engagement with real-world issues.

“Dr. Gjellstad continually develops new and innovative ways to make learning accessible and enjoyable. For Spring 2023, as part of the Norwegian curriculum, she developed a class dedicated to Nordic Council prize winners. This class explores Nordic culture in multiple mediums, including literature, film and music. The class focuses on authors and artists that students would perhaps not have been exposed to otherwise, as studies of Nordic literature often focus on past literary giants, leading to exclusion of more modern authors. She is also an integral part of the newly developed interdisciplinary class entitled "Navigating the Arctic: Interdisciplinary Challenges in the High North". Given current world political events and the pressing issue of climate change, the class is not only fascinating, but also extremely timely.

It is clear, that in her curriculum development, Dr. Gjellstad focuses on preparing the student for not only success in further education, but success in the real world.”

“The assignments were put together in a way that didn't allow you to BS the assignment, and while that was frustrating when I just needed to get things checked off my to–do list, it also allowed me to engage with the material in a way that I wouldn’t otherwise have been able to. I really had to think about specific parts of each piece and how they impacted the overall work, and that was important to my understanding of the overall course topic.”

• Anne Kelsch, Director of Faculty Development, TTaDA; Professor of History
• Alena Kubatova, Ph.D., Chester Fritz Distinguished Professor, Chemistry Chair
• Shaina Mattingly, Teaching Associate Professor, Associate Chair for Education, Undergraduate Outreach Coordinator, Department of Chemistry
• Kanishka Marasinghe, Department Chair and Professor, Department of Physics and Astrophysics
• Daphne Pedersen, Chester Fritz Distinguished Professor of Sociology, Associate Dean, College of Arts & Sciences
• Rebecca (Becky) Simmons, Professor, Department of Biology
• Gregory Vandeberg, Professor and Chair, Geography & GISc and Environmental Studies
• Ryan Zerr, Professor and Chair of Mathematics; Associate Vice President of Strategy & Implementation

“The research faculty from the humanities, natural science, and social science departments across our college have been working together for over a decade having begun their collaborative work in 2010. The team brought together students and faculty, providing excellent experiential learning opportunities stemming from funded STEM grants, research on science identity and mentoring relationships, and ensuring the development of students and faculty alike.”

“Under the team leadership, this faculty has brought to UND NSF S-STEM funding, which led to the creation of a program called Undergraduate Scholarships with Mathematics And Science Training, Exploration and Research (US MASTER), bringing over $1,5 million to UND and students. The program provided financial support for students with a focus on implementing high-impact practices, including encouraging students through close mentoring and seminars to participate in original research and teaching experiences. The essential element of this grant award has been research contributing to the development of understanding of science identity and effective mentoring practices, resulting in peer-reviewed articles and many presentations at national meetings. The research outcomes were disseminated within UND through faculty training, leading this program to be of the first to formally introduce and scaffold high-impact practices in mentoring.”

“A true interdisciplinary collaboration.”

Chemical Engineering, College of Engineering & Mines

The faculty in the department have consistently demonstrated exceptional dedication to student learning, evidenced by numerous teaching-related awards and achievements. Their commitment extends beyond traditional instruction to include curriculum innovation, active involvement in educational service, and fostering a culture of experiential learning. Despite maintaining a strong focus on research, the department prioritizes student development, evident through collaborative research opportunities and successful student outcomes. Overall, their outstanding contributions warrant recognition and acknowledgment through this prestigious award.

Overview included enrollment and course offerings; discussion of teaching approach, professional learning, and honors; assessment process and efforts; other teaching and assessment work outside the classroom and department.

“As a busy online student with a family and a demanding job, I've faced challenges in staying motivated to complete my degree. However, the professors in this department have been instrumental in keeping me on track. They excel in engaging presentation, providing valuable feedback, and showing genuine care and empathy towards their students. The collaborative effort among faculty ensures a well-rounded educational experience, preparing students for success in the field of engineering. Each professor fosters a sense of community, even in online classes, making students feel connected and supported.”

“I want to mention this department’s efforts to create educational challenges outside of the classroom. For me, this manifested as the opportunity to do research as an undergraduate through their REU program, which I believe is in its 19th year, and continued into research during the school year. Without this opportunity and the close mentoring that I received, I wouldn’t have known how much I love research, or picked up necessary skills for success in graduate school and beyond. The fact that this program is still running demonstrates their commitment to providing students with meaningful experiences outside of the classroom. While I did not participate in a co-op, many of my friends did, and it is another example of their willingness to provide students with excellent outside experiences that will help students on their career path.”

Summary of SELFI sub scores and representative student comments from SELFI surveys and senior exit surveys illustrate the passion and commitment that the Department of Chemical Engineering has for providing highly effective, student-centered learning experiences to all of their students in and out of the classroom and their success at promoting and achieving excellence in teaching.

Music, College of Arts & Sciences

“Between individual performances and those they lead and conduct with UND students, the Music faculty are responsible for 150 to 200 musical performances each year. These performances are enjoyed by audiences at UND, in the public school system, community venues, and beyond the UND and the Greater Grand Forks community, to include regional, national, and international audiences and outlets. Additionally, the Music faculty engage in more traditional scholarship, involving publishing their works in books and peerreviewed journals. They also compose and commission works in support of the creative activity of others. This represents a unique combination of efforts you will see in few departments on Campus.”

“The faculty of the Music Department work tirelessly to bring their talents to a vast number of audiences and inspire the next generation of musicians through their time and commitment to both public and professional scholarship and creative activity.”

Department of Biology, College of Arts & Sciences

Biology faculty are mentors for internship opportunities for undergraduate students, serving as mentors for an astonishing 115 distinct experiences over the review period. High impact experiences are crucial for long-term academic and professional success for our students and are an important part of the UND LEADS Vision. Faculty write literally hundreds of letters of recommendation or evaluation for students applying to post baccalaureate programs, scholarship, and internship opportunities. Two of our students were awarded highly competitive national internship opportunities because of Biology Faculty mentorship and support.

Biology Faculty have made an impressive service contribution on the UND campus as well as broadly across a wide range of disciplines, encompassing community, state, regional, national, and international platforms. Collectively, our faculty served on committees that provided leadership and support for research core facilities and resources, curriculum endeavors, student advising, student awards, graduate mentorship, and undergraduate research experiential learning. Biology faculty have contributed to several major aspects of faculty governance and leadership, including Chairing the Faculty Senate, serving on the Tenure and Promotion Committee, serving on several Institutional Research Review Boards, Student Appeals and Ethical Review Committees, Alice T. Clarke Faculty Mentoring Program, Higher Ed Accreditation, development of the University Strategic plan (LEADS), and generation of the College of Arts and Sciences Strategic Vision.

Faculty mentoring and establishment of a university community of diversity and inclusivity are critical for faculty and student success. Biology faculty have been instrumental in these efforts, with several serving as Alice T. Clarke Mentors and one serving as a longtime co-organizer and facilitator for this impactful program. Biology faculty serve as mentors for other faculty, but also as faculty representatives or co- representatives for 9 Graduate and Undergraduate Student Organizations on campus, consistently contributing to efforts to support and expand diversity and mentoring on our campus and in their professional organizations.

Evidence regarding the Service-minded attitudes and community-minded culture in the Biology Department are threaded throughout the supporting materials, but particularly noted in the support letter from the Department Chair, Dr. Peter Meberg. Each individual Faculty and Staff member in the Biology Department contributes to Service in a different way, reflecting the strengths and values of that person; but all contribute to sustaining the culture of Service that infuses our department. We work together in Service, we celebrate our diverse perspectives, and our differences make a difference!