Dr. Katie Rybakova, Associate Professor of Education and Chair of the Peter and Paula Lunder School of Education, is known for passion, energy, and commitment to students and for her innovative curriculum and approach to teaching.

Dr. Rybakova, an employee of the College for almost seven years, is being recognized as this month’s Terrier STAR for her career focus, institutional inventiveness, providing a personalized experience and inspiring environment, and for care and community.

“Students gush about the inventiveness and depth of her courses. I often hear ed majors discussing their semester loads by the number of ‘Rybakova classes’ they are taking. She provides personalized, individual, and timely feedback on every single student assignment. She brings the personal touch that students crave in an online course. I once asked a student how they enjoyed their gen ed course with Katie and the student responded, ‘It was amazing. I’ve never seen anything like it,'” said a colleague.

“Katie is innovative, generous, passionate, and energetic. She gives the same personalized experience to her colleagues. I have learned more from Katie about education in my time at Thomas than my content area PhD experience ever taught me. I am incredibly grateful to have her as a colleague,” the coworker also said.

“She is extremely innovative as the new Chair within the School of Education,” said a senior colleague.

Congrats, Dr. Rybakova!