Santa Rosa Professor Receives 2015 Innovations in Instruction Award
Each year, one University of San Francisco adjunct faculty member is selected to receive this prestigious award to recognize the implementation of innovative teaching methods, approaches, and techniques in the classroom. This year’s recipient is our very own Nancy Feehan.
Nancy, a USF alumna, has been teaching at USF in the Counseling Psychology program for the past ten years and is recognized by her colleagues and students not only as a subject matter expert, but also as an innovative, inspiring, and engaging instructor. Further, she promotes sensitivity to the emotions of others, open-mindedness, and respect for others and their differences. According to USF colleague Patty Cowick, “Nancy creates an atmosphere of safety and respect that allows the student not only to learn intellectually, but to show up and be truly present where they are.”
Professor Feehan has a unique proclivity for designing assignments that are meaningful, engaging, and varied in format, a strategy that has provides clarity, facilitates long-term knowledge retention, and introduces practical applications for the concepts presented in the Counseling Psychology curriculum. She brings a palpable authenticity to the classroom with her emphasis on reflective awareness. In weekly class reflections, students are encouraged to share thoughts and feelings evoked by course readings, classroom experiences, and everyday life.
The individualized personal attention she provides all students and her thoughtful responses to student inquiries are a reflection of her passionate dedication to the personal and professional development of students. She is completely invested in guiding students to become excellent therapists, a dynamic profession in which the healing journey inward and the clinical path of treating others is inextricably linked. Fellow USF professor, Dr. Mary Coombs, praised “Nancy’s commitment to her students and her willingness to invest the time and [provide] thoughtful responses to each student, is a reflection of her deep caring for their learning and their development, beyond just…the mastering of theory, concepts, and techniques.” This dedication has had a profound effect on students and has earned Professor Feehan special recognition as an innovator in teaching. Congratulations, Nancy!
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