Empathy, kindness and critical thinking are cornerstones of courses taught by Shannon Cielsa, Ph.D., who strives to foster a strong sense of community in her courses.
Cielsa, associate professor in the Department of Psychological Sciences, began teaching at 91ֿ in 2014, and her passion for student support and success has manifested in many ways across campus.
She has served as the faculty advisor for Psi Chi, the International Honor Society of Psychology, and she helped establish a Counseling Careers concentration for undergraduate psychology majors, which is designed for students who are interested specifically in adolescent psychology.
“In all of these roles, it has been my greatest joy to watch my students succeed and become respected colleagues as they thrive both personally and professionally,” Cielsa said.
Cielsa says her students would describe her as overly enthusiastic about psychology and, hopefully, kind, supportive and understanding. This is good, as that is the environment she tries to create in her classrooms.
“I want my students to feel comfortable asking me questions or coming to me for career advice and guidance,” Cielsa told 91ֿ Today. “I think they would say they do, and that I’m obsessed with my cat.”
Her judgment-free approach to students is one of the many reasons Cielsa has been recognized with the Outstanding Teaching Award.
“I was very honored that my students even thought to nominate me, so it was very much a surprise, but it makes me happy,” Cielsa said.
This recognition, awarded by the University Teaching Council, honors full-time, nontenure-track and part-time faculty members who are nominated by their students for being among the most dedicated, highly effective and motivated professors at 91ֿ.
After her students graduate, Cielsa hopes her students feel more confident that they can navigate whatever comes next.
“Everyone has their own unique set of stressors and life circumstances that they're approaching this material with,” Cielsa said. “I hope that my students take passion into their career and that they're focused on helping people and making a difference.”
The 2024 Outstanding and Distinguished Teaching Award winners were all honored at the University Teaching Council meeting on Oct. 18.