Dear Colleagues,
I am very pleased to announce the appointment of Natasha Jankowski as Director of the Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning. Dr. Jankowski, who will join UWM remotely on August 15 and in person on September 16, is the former Executive Director of the National Institute for Learning Outcomes Assessment (NILOA), co-located at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and Indiana University-Bloomington. Under her leadership, NILOA was the proud recipient of the ACPA Contribution to Higher Education award.
Dr. Jankowski brings a vast experience in advancing teaching and learning with faculty and students to UWM. During her time at NILOA, she was a leader in the development of intentionally designed assignments through a faculty-driven, collaborative peer review process – the assignment charrette to support learning-centered curricular and pedagogical reform and create clearer, more powerful pathways for students. Additionally, her work on transparency in educational design, student voice in educational reform, comprehensive learner records to document student learning, as well as culturally responsive assessment approaches has led to improvements in learning for historically under-represented students.
She is a prolific author with 33 journal articles, five books, 14 book chapters, nine commissioned reports and papers, and 40 academic reports and papers. In addition, Dr. Jankowski has given 425 presentations, raised more than $3.75M in grant funding, and has served on myriad national and international committees.
Dr. Jankowski earned her PhD in Educational Organization and Leadership from the University of Illinois and her MEd in Higher Education Administration from Kent State University. She has a BA in philosophy.
I congratulate the Search and Screen Committee, chaired by Raquel Farmer-Hinton, for its outstanding work, and I thank Interim Director Sarah Riforgiate for her excellent service and leadership.
