Teaching All-Stars
Published26 April, 2024
Photo credit Patrick Leung
Meet CapU’s 2024 Teaching Excellence Award recipients.
A good instructor makes all the difference. They encourage, challenge, inspire and help students reach their learning goals.
On April 2, 2024, Capilano University recognized five talented faculty members with Teaching Excellence Awards (TEA): Rachel Baitz, Joshua Boyd, Milla Zaenker, Alejandra Sánchez Álvarez and Michael Molson.
These five instructors, nominated by CapU students, clearly made an impact. But they are not alone. The Centre for Teaching Excellence received 481 nominations for 228 faculty members, a number that increases every year. A panel of volunteer faculty members reviewed the nominations and the final selection were made by the TEA committee.
“One in four faculty members were nominated, which is really impressive,” says Brit Paris, director of teaching and learning. “It’s incredibly difficult to choose just five recipients.”
“These instructors stand out for their ability to recognize students as whole people and to nurture their learning while challenging them to do their best.”
Introducing the award recipients
Rachel Baitz
Rachel Baitz, PhD, is a developmental psychologist and instructor in CapU’s Psychology department.
As a researcher, her work explores developmental factors that influence how children, adolescents and young adults engage in social media and technologies in the context of their mental health and relationships.
Her developmental approach also finds its way into the classroom — where she seeks to encourage, challenge and inspire students in a way that celebrates their diverse experiences and exciting futures.
Baitz says she tries to “champion each student as a whole person, coming alongside to support them wherever they are in their journey.”
“Rachel is an inspiring human being, who has taught me so much about the importance of resilience and whose words stick with me far beyond the classroom.”
Joshua Boyd
Joshua Boyd, B.Sc.N., is a registered nurse and instructor in CapU’s Health Care Assistant (HCA) program. As an RN, he has worked in various settings, including palliative home care for children, acute care, long-term care and home care.
Boyd has taught HCAs for 10 years, two of these in Shenyang, China and eight at CapU’s kalax-ay Sunshine Coast campus.
He values experience-based learning techniques and believes in “wholeheartedly supporting students so they feel the importance, value and reward of their work.”
“Joshua’s impact reaches far beyond the classroom, shaping not only competent practitioners but compassionate individuals who make positive contributions in their communities.”
Milla Zaenker
Milla Zaenker, MBA, is a faculty member and onboarding and hiring convenor at the School of Business.
Zaenker is also a certified executive coach (ACC) and an organizational effectiveness consultant with over 15 years of experience in human resources, learning and organizational development and business development, in Europe and Canada.
She specializes in talent and leadership development, executive coaching, goal setting and execution, performance management, change management, training and organizational development.
Zaenker says she “cherishes the opportunity to witness students’ journeys of self-discovery, as they unveil their unique talents and cultivate empathy for diverse perspectives in learning.”
“Milla’s teaching extends beyond the curriculum, helping shape us into well-equipped, empathetic leaders.”
Alejandra Sánchez Álvarez
Alejandra Sánchez Álvarez, PhD, is a licensed early childhood educator (ECE), certified elementary school teacher and a faculty member in CapU’s School of Education and Childhood Studies.
For 30 years, she has worked with students, teachers, children and families to examine and transform their conceptualization of children and their educational practices and, in the process, help them learn about themselves.
“In my teaching, students and I listen and respect our trajectories to broaden our self-understanding and create opportunities to collaborate towards better ways of co-existing,” says Álvarez.
“Alejandra’s ability to connect with students on a personal level not only fosters a strong sense of trust and respect, but also greatly enhances our overall learning experience.”
Michael Molson
Michael Molson, LLB, is a lawyer and instructor in CapU’s School of Business and School of Legal Studies.
After a long career in law, working as in-house counsel for companies in Asia, the U.S. and Canada, he entered teaching. When he was hired as a part-time instructor at CapU, he was challenged to “make law fun.”
Almost a decade later, after multiple field trips with young people to the courthouse, organizing many events on campus, and developing relationships with industry partners, he now teaches full-time and says his “heart is firmly embedded in this lovely community” and that he feels “privileged to be part of students’ lives and learning.”
“Michael explains the most complex concepts in a way that all students can understand.”
