Skip to main content

Commencement 2023: Teaching Excellence Award, Melissa Hardy

 


Melissa Hardy relishes when students who at first think they’re not good at science gain self confidence in her classes. In her biology courses, Melissa engages students by peppering them with questions and incorporating group activities. Each class also culminates in a research project. “They gain self-efficacy and leave proud of themselves,” says Melissa.

 

When Melissa first began teaching at SLCC in 2011, she taught how she was taught, through lectures and tests. This approach has since evolved into a style that relies on active learning. “I’ve really focused on making the material more accessible and inclusive in order to reach and engage my students,” says Melissa. She attributes her teaching evolution to the supportive collegiate environment in the School of Science, Mathematics and Engineering, where leadership encourages new ideas. 

 

Melissa has enormous respect and admiration for her students, not just because they are smart and motivated but also because many pursue education despite significant hardships. “Being a professor here is an amazing way to cultivate empathy, because you listen to and witness so many students who are going through incredibly difficult challenges but still persevere in their coursework,” she says. “It’s incredibly rewarding to help my students succeed.”

 

Melissa earned a bachelor’s degree in Zoology at Brigham Young University, a master’s degree in Biology: Ecology and Systematics at San Francisco State University and a PhD in Neurobiology and Anatomy at the University of Utah. “I’m in love with my field,” says Melissa. “It’s pretty amazing that I get to go into work each day to talk about biology and see students’ minds open up.” 

 

 

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

SLCC Automotive Repairs

Click to enlarge. Attention: SLCC Students, staff and faculty! Many SLCC automotive programs need vehicles to work on in these areas: 30 point inspections Oil changes Tire rotation Engine repair Brake systems repair Automatic and transmission repairs Air conditioning repair Electrical troubleshooting & repair Suspension & steering system repair Auto-body repair and painting (on a very limited basis) Please be advised that any repairs are done at the discretion of the instructors due to the subject areas they are teaching.  Because we are using your vehicles for training purposes, we offer members of the College discounts on parts and labor. Parts are at our cost plus 15% and the service fee is $20 per hour based on industry time standards (if the industry assigns an hour for a repair, that's all you're charged for, regardless of how much time it takes the student). We can also offer these services to non-college personnel on a limited basis with...

SLCC All Access

Did you know you can access SLCC lab software for free from your own computing device?   Come learn how SLCC is supporting BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) with All Access. The goal of All Access is to provide any time, any place, and any device access to college computing and lab software SLCC students, faculty and staff.  All Access works on almost any device from a PC or Mac, to tablets and smart phones.  With All Access you can use programs like Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Publisher, AutoCAD, MatLab, Mathematica, MyITLab, NetBeans, and online Library Databases.  We also provide you with online storage space so you can save your files in the cloud and have access to them wherever you are.  Anyone is welcome to this session where we will cover the basics of All Access, give you some tips and tricks for getting the most out the system, and we’ll also have some people there to help get your computer set up.  When and where: ...

SLCC Alumnus and U.S. Diplomat to Speak at 2025 Commencement

Salt Lake Community College’s 2025 Commencement speaker Branigan Knowlton will share his perspectives drawn from a 12-year career as a Foreign Service Officer with the U.S. Department of State. In serving his country, Knowlton has honed his foreign relations and diplomacy skills in Hong Kong, Mexico, Colombia and Italy. Knowlton is also a proud Salt Lake Community College (SLCC) alumnus (2002).     Knowlton currently serves at the U.S. Embassy in Rome. Before reporting to the embassy, he was detailed to the Italian Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport as part of the Transatlantic Diplomatic Fellowship program. In Bogotá, Knowlton worked for the Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement, and in Hermosillo, Mexico, he worked for the Bureau of Consular Affairs. His first assignment abroad was in Hong Kong, where he worked for the Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs.     "I've actively sought opportunities that push me into the unfamiliar, even when ...