Each year, the Center for Teaching invites several Graduate Teaching Fellows to spend the year developing teaching skills and building a portfolio by collaborating on a range of pedagogical issues, while gaining experience in the field of educational development. Led by Center for Teaching Associate Director Katherine Beydler, the 2024-25 fellows have already begun their journey of deepening their knowledge of the scholarship of teaching and learning (SoTL), meeting regularly to reflect on personal professional development and teaching practice, and setting goals for their future employment as a faculty member or in other academic roles.
We’re excited to introduce the 2024-25 Graduate Teaching Fellows:
Abigail Escatel is working toward a PhD in Communications Studies and wanted to share a space with other scholars across the university who are also committed to discussing and engaging in teaching as a meaningful practice. We’re happy she’s found that place as a 2024-25 Fellow! She says she’s already learning how “teaching with intentionality requires a community and culture of pedagogical consciousness. She is a self-proclaimed “nerd for teaching” and loves that it feels like a second departmental home! In her free time, Abigail loves trying new recipes, that is when she’s not in her happy place: hiking.
Lucy Langmack says her experiences as a TA for science courses and mentoring students in her research lab inspired her to become a Graduate Teaching Fellow. Pursuing a PhD in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Lucy also finds time to be an artist and semi-professional photographer. She’s happy to report that she’s already learned so much as a fellow. “I really enjoy the open dialogue between the other fellows and the Center for Teaching staff. We each have different experiences in academia, and it has been so valuable to listen to other grad students’ perspectives on teaching.” Additionally, she says she’s discovered more about the structure of higher education and the various ways in which individuals are involved.
Jamie Chen says that as an English Literature PhD student, the Department of English has always made an effort to put graduate instructors in conversation with each other about their developing pedagogies, which she has benefitted from immensely. She says she wanted to spend her final year in her program “expanding my pedagogical understanding beyond one department and one college, collaborating with instructors that have experience working with very different learners and learning dynamics.” If you’re a regular to the Iowa City Farmer’s Market, you’ll probably catch Jamie there, as it’s one of her favorite things to do. She also loves to take advantage of the Hawkeyes for Hancher discount every year so she can enjoy a variety of musical performances.
Yetunde Mabadeje loves traveling and watching crime or action movies, however, right now she’s spending a significant amount of time working toward her PhD in Learning Sciences and Educational Psychology. Her decision to join the fellows this year was informed by her time as an international teaching assistant. She says, “I faced challenges adjusting to teaching in a new country and its cultural expectations, which fueled my interest in exploring what approaches can be used to better support new teaching assistants in their roles.” Reading and extensively discussing topics in pedagogical research with other fellows from different disciplines has been a highlight for Yetunde. “Most importantly,” she says, “I have gained insights into various methods of contributing to and creating more inclusive and effective teaching approaches within the university.”
Kit Fynaardt says, “Many students share a similar story when explaining why they don’t like math or feel they aren’t good enough at math: I had a bad math teacher.” As a PhD student in Mathematics, Kit finds it disappointing that so many have this experience and makes it his goal to be the type of teacher that shows students that they have the ability to succeed in and understand math. The Graduate Teaching Fellows “sounded like the perfect space to improve my own teaching and get other perspectives on how to be more inclusive and equitable in the classroom.” He says being a fellow has been far more than this. The program has opened his eyes to perspectives and experiences he hadn’t previously considered before and he’s anxious to develop and implement educational strategies for a diverse student population. When he’s not solving complex equations, he can be found playing Dungeons and Dragons, as well as other table-top RPGs and Nintendo games like Super Smash Brothers and all things Zelda.
Emily Wieder is a PhD student in French and Francophone World Studies, and a longtime fan of the Center for Teaching. She’s been attending workshops and programs with the Center for Teaching since arriving for her graduate studies. In addition to learning about the structure of universities and how policies get enacted, she also loves that she is building a bibliography of teaching scholarship. When she’s not studying educational texts, Emily can be found teaching BodyBalance classes, which is a combination of yoga, Pilates, and Tai Chi.
If you’re interested in applying for a future cohort, applications will be open from March 1, 2025 - April 18, 2025. Please visit the Graduate Teaching Fellows page for more information.