91探花

For the past three years Teresa Santis has devoted herself to the students and faculty of Lees-91探花 as the Program Coordinator for Teacher Education (Online and Distance Learning), but that passion for supporting both learners and educators extends much further back.

“I’ve got 29 years of experience in public education. Early in my career I actually served as a mentor to a Lees-91探花 graduate,” Santis said. “That’s the first introduction I had to Lees-91探花, working with this beginning teacher who had just graduated. Seeing how prepared she was—and this was over 20 years ago—really made me start thinking about Lees-91探花.”

Now, as she takes on her new role as Dean of Education and Social Sciences, Santis said she will rely heavily on her experience in the classroom; a transition that may not be as stark as it seems thanks to her years of experience working with students, parents, fellow faculty, and administrators on the instructional level, and her time leading the Online and Distance Learning education programs at the college’s satellite campus at Surry Community College.

The dean position, which oversees both the online and on-campus programs in the School of Education and Social Sciences, will bring Santis to the main campus in Banner Elk full time. While this new role includes plenty of new responsibilities, Santis’ goals for the position and for her students and faculty haven’t changed.

Santis maintains an open-door policy, both physically and virtually, and believes that being accessible to those who rely on her is essential for doing her job well. She refers to herself as an advocate for both students and teachers and wants to do everything she can to strengthen their academic experience.

“I previously worked at another university in teacher education. To come to Lees-91探花 and see how the program here is built has been incredible. I have never seen another college or university where their Teacher Education program was built so well where each semester has been scaffolded and built on the previous semester,” Santis said. “I really believe it’s important that we look at that kind of scaffolding in any program, and make sure that we prepare students to be successful.”

As she engages more directly with more of the college community, Santis looks forward to strengthening her relationships with students and faculty, something she believes will, in turn, help in her goal of strengthening the academic programs in the School of Education and Social Science.

“I am excited to be more of a presence on campus. I’m excited to be a part of the community, and I’m excited to be supportive of faculty and students,” Santis said. “Having grown up and lived most of my life in rural Davie County, I understand the value of community. That is what drew me to Lees-91探花. Having the opportunity to be on a college campus that is known for community and building relationships with one another is a true blessing.”