Emerald Stacy was in the 2015 cohort of the GCCUT program. She completed the GCCUT program in 2016 and graduated from OSU with a Ph.D. in Mathematics in 2018. She is currently an Assistant Professor of Mathematics at Washington College.

Q&A with Emerald Stacy

Please briefly describe your new position and responsibilities at your job.

I teach a 3-3 load, with a research expectation.  In addition to classes in the math department, in Fall 2019 I get to teach a First Year Seminar course I am currently designing, in which we will look at how “knowledge” or “intelligence” is socially constructed.

 

What specific aspects of your participation in the GCCUT program impacted your job attainment process?

The experience of talking about teaching across disciplines was invaluable. The guidance in preparing job application materials was incredibly important and not preparation I was given within my own department.  Although schools were very interested in the program, the knowledge I gained had a larger impact on my job search.  

 

In what ways has taking part in the GCCUT program changed your thinking about teaching, learning, or higher education in general?

For the two years I was in GCCUT, I was engaging in incredible conversations with educators, all with the goal of becoming better.  It wasn’t something I realized I wanted in a workplace, but when I started attending interviews I realized that I wanted to be part of a community of educators.  Since being at Washington College, to try to bring a bit of GCCUT here, I have formed a book club for junior faculty.  We are currently reading Whistling Vivaldi by Claude Steele, which I was first exposed to in GRAD 561.

 

Is there anything else you would add about your GCCUT experience that you think would interest prospective students?

This program is more than a credential - it provides you with skills you can bring into your classroom.  The group of students in front of you is constantly changing, and you need to be able to respond to that.  GCCUT gives you the skills to assess your classroom and determine a plan for how to proceed.