Students learn the core principles of physics in “The Way Things Work: Sky Diving and Deep Sea Diving,” an Intellectual Inquiry course.
serves as associate dean for academic affairs and general education. As a teacher herself, Steehler knows firsthand what it’s like to be in the trenches of the academic environment. As associate dean, she’s well aware of the time and effort it takes to create programming that engages and motivates. “It’s important to support faculty because they are ultimately the ones who work directly with students,” Steehler says. “If we want to push our students to greater heights, then we need to do that for the faculty. We need to push them and inspire them.” Inspiring faculty and students is a key priority of Roanoke Rising. “We believe we create environments where students are in the best position to learn,” Dean Smith says. “To keep our faculty on the cutting edge and support them in their innovation efforts, thereby continuing to create these environments, we need more resources to help them.” 16
Resources made possible through the Roanoke Rising campaign, he says, include monetary support to attend conferences and time to develop new courses or re-tool pedagogies. “In the corporate world, one could say this is our ‘R and D’ money,” Grant says. “It’s the money we’re investing in our faculty to help them be more creative and more innovative.” Creativity and innovation are part of Roanoke College’s success. “We all focus on our core mission,” says Steehler. “Let’s keep doing what we do well and build on that success.” But it is new ideas, she says, that will take the College forward. “Bringing new opportunities to our students requires new funding that enables teachers to take chances,” Steehler says. “Roanoke Rising will allow all of us to open doors. If you don’t open doors, you don’t know what’s on the other side and that’s what education is all about.” RC
“Roanoke Rising will allow all of us to open doors. If you don’t open doors, you don’t know what’s on the other side and that’s what education is all about.” DR. GAIL STEEHLER ASSOCIATE DEAN FOR ACADEMIC AFFAIRS AND GENERAL EDUCATION
Roanoke College Magazine