Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning

Dr. Lori Montalbano-Phelps, who is celebrating her tenth year of teaching at IUN, is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Communication and an Adjunct Faculty member for the Women's Studies Program. Gaining insight and inspiration from her former teachers, she believes it is important to reach out to her students and share her enthusiasm for her field, as well as her passion for learning. She states, "If they know I care about their interests and opinions, they contribute to class discussion, they approach me when they don't understand, they try harder."

Recognizing that students learn differently, Montalbano-Phelps uses a variety of teaching methods and incorporates humor to create an atmosphere of safety, and challenge students to think in new ways. She recognizes the significance of her role in her students' lives and views student feedback and evaluations as a key source of information in her own professional development as a teacher. She states, "I am deeply committed to student learning, the power of the educated mind, and acutely aware of the mutual learning which exists in a classroom environment."

Montalbano-Phelps has received numerous recognitions for her exemplary teaching including the Founder's Day Teaching Award (2003), the Trustees Teaching Award (2003), and the Teaching Excellence Recognition Award (TERA) (1997, 1998). She is also a member of FACET and was recently recognized by Who's Who Among America's Teachers. In recognition of her belief that "a good teacher never stops learning," Montalbano-Phelps feels she has a responsibility to her students to "join the dialogue for professional development and bring that expertise to the classroom."