2011 Outstanding University Graduate Student Teaching Award Winner- Masters I
Liana Suhadolnik, M.S.
- M.S. in Exercise Philosophy from Illinois State University (2012)
- Graduate Assistant for the Department of Kinesiology and Recreation
Teaching philosophy
I endeavor to create a classroom environment that is not only stimulating, but applicable to every student—where I make certain the student sees and understands the value of what they are learning, perceives how the material they are being taught will benefit their lives and increase their knowledge, and appreciates and feels my passion and excitement for leading a healthy life.
Most influential teaching mentor
Dr. Karen Dennis. She changed my life the minute I stepped into her classroom in 2003. She was the most passionate teacher I ever had; she was always excited to be there and couldn’t wait to pass on her incredible knowledge to her students. She lived and breathed what she was teaching and had a solid, contextual knowledge in that field. Her passion for health and fitness bled onto me and made me realize just how important health is to our overall lives. That semester, I changed my major to Exercise Science. I am currently teaching the same class which motivated me to get into this field. Each day, I strive to show my passion and knowledge, just as Dr. Dennis did, so I, too, can change someone’s life for the better.
Best compliment from a student
They enjoyed my class so much they wanted to continue learning more, prompting them to switch their major to Exercise Science!
Best teaching strategy to recommend
Have a review at the beginning of each lecture, with 10 ideas that the students picked up from the previous lecture. This serves not only as a review for the students but also as a review of your teaching to make sure they are really picking up what you wanted them to.
