University of New York at Stony Brook in 1986. In 1997 and 1998, Dr. Reilly took a Postdoctoral Fellowship in the Baxter Orthopedic Laboratory at Carolinas Medical Center, Charlotte, North Carolina. Dr. Reilly also served as Interim Vice President of Academic Affairs during the 2006-2007 academic year. Throughout her years at the Abbey, Dr. Reilly’s professionalism and the unwavering dedication she gives to her students have been great blessings for the academic community. She inspires her students by having them discover their own love of science by intricately studying the natural world around them.
Sheila Reilly Dr. Sheila Reilly came to Belmont Abbey College in 1987. She is a graduate of Grove City College. She went on to earn a doctorate in oral biology and pathology from the State
Crossroads: What does it take to be an excellent teacher when it comes to the Sciences in general or biology specifically? Dr. Reilly: First of all, students have to know that you love the subject, which they discover by the enthusiasm with
which the instructor presents the material. A good approach is to ask the students to research the topic and bring it back to class, and then call them on it. It gives the student ownership and draws them into the day-to-day material. Secondly, and of equal importance to the first, is to make sure students see the relevance of what you are teaching them to everyday life: that so much of what one sees, reads, and hears each day touches upon the natural world and thus the need for biological literacy. Whether it is just walking down Abbey Lane and being aware of nature around you, reading the latest research on cholesterol, or understanding why the Gulf is recovering so quickly from the Deep Water Horizon oil spill in 2010, it is all relevant to everyday life. I routinely bring current articles to class which reinforces that very idea. Third, and what supports the first two points, is to keep current. This is critical in my discipline and dovetails with love of the subject. The love of the discipline and that innate curiosity that scientists are blessed with is what drives me to keep current. Finally, I love that most of our courses have labs. This is where students get to see the practical application of what they are discussing in lecture. It gives one a chance to expand on that lecture experience as well as interact with students on a more personal level. It’s an opportunity to do some mentoring and maybe help them figure out what direction they want to take their lives. Crossroads: What do you consider to be the best part of teaching within the Sciences discipline? Dr. Reilly: It’s a joy to see students connect the dots when they get to be juniors and seniors. They start to integrate what they have learned. That is a nice feeling and it is a great accomplishment. Their struggles in cell or chemistry or genetics or whatever course(s) were worth it!
14 CROSSROADS
The Magazine of Belmont Abbey College
Winter 2013