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Colleen began teaching as an adjunct professor at Baldwin-Wallace College in 1994. Before her journey with BW, Colleen had a private practice providing speech and language services to children as a speech-language pathologist, while completing her Ph.D. at Case Western Reserve University
Four years after starting at what is now Baldwin Wallace University, she received a full-time position in the former Speech, Communication and Theatre department. Colleen continues to teach today in the since formed Communication Sciences & Disorders department, also serving as the Program Director for Speech-Language Pathology. Colleen teaches both undergraduate and graduate courses ranging from speech and language development to evidence-based practice. Her own research is focused on examining efficient and effective ways of teaching that leads to strong student learning outcomes.
Colleen enjoys being a faculty member at BW because of the focus on excellence in teaching. She says she “likes doing research and clinical work, but absolutely loves teaching. I truly enjoy interacting with students and watching them grow as an individual.”
Her most impactful moment at BW, so far, has been the development and accreditation of the graduate program in Speech-Language Pathology. Colleen collaborated with individuals from nearly every aspect of campus to create the program. The first cohort arrived in the fall of 2015, and there have now been 77 graduates of the program, who are working in schools, hospitals, rehabilitation centers, and private practices around the country.
Through her work, Colleen touches the lives of so many students each day. She feels it’s important to give back to the BW community in order to make a difference in the lives of the next generation. She believes every little bit helps, and that it all adds up to bigger and better things.
Her biggest piece of advice for women? “Be yourself. Find what you are passionate about and follow your passions. Don’t be afraid to take risks. If you fall down, pick yourself back up and try not to make the same mistake. It is better to have tried and failed than to have never tried. In the end, be happy and accept who you are.”
We are grateful to have incredible faculty like Colleen at BW helping to shape the next generation of women.
Thank you, Colleen!
Written by Annette Fetter '15
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