Cal Poly Humboldt

Dr. Kishan Lara-Cooper Named 2019/2020 Distinguished Faculty Outstanding Professor in Teaching

From Humboldt State NOW: http://now.humboldt.edu/news/hsus-2019-outstanding-faculty-honored/

HSU’s 2019-20 Outstanding Faculty Honored

Since 1964, Humboldt State has honored outstanding faculty. William Fisher, Department of Economics, Kishan Lara-Cooper, Department of Child Development, and Cutcha Risling Baldy, Department of Native American Studies, are the recipients of the 2019-20 Distinguished Faculty Awards.

Professor Kishan Lara-Cooper, Department of Child Development, Excellence in Teaching Award recipient, has been teaching in the Department of Child Development since 2010.
Kishan Lara-CooperHer teaching evaluation scores and comments by students and colleagues speak to her dedication and impact she has on students’ lives. One colleague wrote of a guest lecture in his course: “She had rapport with the students, she was able to almost immediately get the students to engage in dynamic back-and-forth interactions with her, and she effectively wove together the personal and the academic, the experiential and the intellectual. The result was a true learning experience for the students.” She has a passion for teaching, which shows in her ability to explain difficult material and effectively engage students with the gentle guidance one looks for in a college professor. Many current and former students have also said she is the most influential professor they had had during their college education. It’s also clear that Dr. Lara-Cooper brings something extra to the classroom by virtue of her Native American heritage. A former student said, “She’s not only a role model for me but a role model for the whole of the Native community.”