Dr. Amy Lantinga honored with Teaching Excellence Award for focus on student success

Dr. Amy Lantinga, a faculty member in Northeastern University’s Foundation Year program, is a recipient of the Northeastern University College of Professional Studies Teaching Excellence Award, which annually recognizes two faculty members for knowledge, skill, creativity and innovation in teaching. Nominations for the award are made by currently enrolled students. Foundation Year, a first-year college program designed for City of Boston high school graduates, integrates rigorous academics with extensive support services to address individual needs. Dr. Lantinga was described by one student in the program as “always thinking of ways to help us succeed.” Student nominations praised her preparation for classes; her feedback to improve writing skills; her respect of the effort and abilities of students; and her commitment to one-on-one time with students during office hours. Dr. Lantinga’s integration of the classroom experience with the world beyond was noted by a student who wrote, “Professor Lantinga has our English class involved in community service that is broadening our minds, positively affecting our lives, and maximizing our writing abilities. We were part of last December’s Boston Homeless Census; we are attending the Northeastern University open classroom series on “Food & American Society;” and we are about to help out at the Pine Street Inn homeless shelter this week. Professor Lantinga is teaching us valuable lessons inside and outside the classroom. I have never met a teacher who is as passionate as she is about furthering her students’ knowledge – she is opening us up to a new world.” Prior to joining the College, Dr. Lantinga served in various roles at the secondary and postsecondary education levels, including as assistant headmaster of teaching and learning at Boston Community Leadership Academy and as a writing coach for Write-Boston. She also held teaching positions at Harvard University, University of Massachusetts Boston, and the University of Tennessee, Knoxville in English teaching methods and the culture of high school. Dr. Lantinga earned an Ed.D. in Secondary English Education and a M.S. in Curriculum and Instruction from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. Excellence in Teaching Award Each year, Northeastern University College of Professional Studies honors two faculty members for their excellence in teaching. In considering nominations, the committee seeks indication of especially high intellectual standards in terms of course content, rigor, and integration of the best scholarship, depth of knowledge in the subject and evidence of scholarly and pedagogical growth as new knowledge is created and new classroom technology is developed. The Excellence in Teaching Award is given once each calendar year, and this year the awards are presented at the College of Professional Studies spring 2012 graduation on April 21, 2012. More about graduation To read about Teaching Excellence Award recipient, Dr. Kristen Lee Costa, visit Dr. Kristen Lee Costa honored with Teaching Excellence Award for depth of knowledge and engaging teaching style. To read about graduation, visit Northeastern University College of Professional Studies graduates largest class to date.  To read about the Doctoral Hooding Ceremony, the first phase of the celebration of the completion of doctoral studies, visit Northeastern University’s Newest Doctorates Receive Doctoral Hoods in Ceremony. To read about the Compass Award, visit CPS 2012 Compass Award recipient, Christina McMahon, demonstrates leadership in every line of work. The College of Professional Studies celebrates two graduations, fall and spring, in keeping with the College’s flexible approach to education offering an array of options to students including part-time and full-time studies, Fast-Track, online, and hybrid formats. Graduates earned diplomas in 61 different degree programs at the associate, bachelor, master’s, and doctoral levels. To learn more about graduation, visit our 2012 graduation web page.
Northeastern University’s College of Professional Studies (CPS) is committed to providing career-focused educational programs that are designed to accommodate the complex lives of motivated learners. Offered in a variety of innovative formats, CPS courses are taught by accomplished scholars and practitioners who have real-world experience. The result is an educational experience founded on proven scholarship, strengthened with practical application, and sustained by academic excellence. Northeastern University is a global university with a tradition of partnership and engagement that creates an innovative, distinctive approach to education and research. Northeastern integrates classroom studies with experiential learning opportunities in 70 countries, and pursues use-inspired research with a focus on global challenges in health, security, and sustainability.