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.”

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