Teaching Academy Gala recognizes educators, donors at NMSU
New Mexico State University’s Teaching Academy Gala celebrated educators and supporters who advanced teaching, research and faculty development during the 2023–2024 academic year.
Tiffany Acosta, New Mexico State University
LAS CRUCES - New Mexico State University celebrated the 22nd annual Teaching Academy Gala: Champagne and Chocolate and recognized its members and donors May 7. The Teaching Academy provides support and workshops to NMSU faculty, staff and graduate instructors so they can flourish as educators and mentors.
The Teaching Academy acknowledged its members, most distinguished member and an innovative teacher. The gala thanks donors for their contributions to the Teaching Academy, which broke a record for the second consecutive year with 131 donors.
This year, 749 faculty, staff and graduate students participated in 8,461 hours of Teaching Academy events, 250 educators earned membership by participating in 10 or more hours of events and 63 faculty members completed the Teaching Scholars course.
Ida D’Antonio-Hangen, a college assistant professor in the Criminal Justice Department, was honored with the Truly Innovative Teaching Award. A retired Special Agent from the FBI, D’Antonio-Hangen joined the NMSU faculty in 2019.
D’Antonio-Hangen received the award for her novel teaching methods of her forensic law course. For her in-person classes, she converted the Breland Hall basement into four mock crime scenes, and she wanted her online students to have the same experience, so she volunteered to have her class use virtual reality. D’Antonio-Hangen’s course was the first NMSU course to use VR, and 200 students have used it in six classes.
“Ida is an imaginative teacher who brings her passion and experience into the classroom,” said Oana Cimpean, Teaching Academy associate director. “She wants her students to become energized to fight human trafficking and understand what a victim endures.”
The Most Distinguished Member Award was presented to Leslie Ross, instruction coordinator with the Library’s Reference and Research Services. She earned this accolade by participating in the most faculty development events in 2024. Ross joined NMSU in 2023 after serving as a reference and instruction librarian at St. Ambrose University and librarian at Davenport Public Library in Davenport, Iowa.
Four new benefactors, Monica Torres, Elizabeth Hendricks, Tony Marin and Merranda Marin were honored this year for their generous contributions.
Torres has worked in higher education for more than 40 years. Currently, she is the NMSU system community college chancellor. Hendricks, a critical care and cardiology nurse, is a college assistant professor in the School of Nursing. Tony Marin, associate vice president of Student Affairs, has secured more than $35 million in funding for NMSU. Family and Consumer Sciences Professor Merranda Marin is a licensed psychologist and marriage and family therapist.
To learn more about the Teaching Academy, visit https://teaching.nmsu.edu.
Tiffany Acosta writes for New Mexico State University Marketing and Communications and can be reached at 575-646-3929, or by email at tfrank@nmsu.edu.
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