Long-time champion of ECE teacher training retires
fter more than 30 years at UW-Madison and 15 years
in the department, ECE program specialist Donna Lewis
retired in July. During her tenure in ECE, Lewis performed a host of
duties, including oversight of a $5 million annual instructional budget,
supervision of a 15-member staff, management of departmental space,
and much more. ECE will also remember her for the roles she played in
orchestrating the department’s transition to the new building
addition, creating the Cheney Room and Courtyard, coordinating the ECE
Centennial Celebration, and reviving the fall departmental picnic.
But Lewis’ most rewarding accomplishments lie
in her efforts to improve the college’s and department’s
training programs for teaching assistants. She oversaw more than 700
TAs during her time in ECE, and provided valuable service to College
of Engineering New Educator’s Orientation (NEO) and Teaching
Improvement Program (TIP). Now in retirement, Lewis will continue
to serve the college’s TAs through the Donna Lewis TA Training
& Development Fund. The Engineering Learning Center will use the
fund to support the professional development of COE TAs and help pay
expenses related to the TIP and NEO programs (see
sidebar for more information).
Lewis began her career at UW-Madison in 1974 in the
School of Social Work. She subsequently worked for six years as administrator
for the UW Band Department, where, among many other things, she helped
band director Mike Leckrone organize the very first Varsity Band Concert
in the UW Field House. In 1982, she became administrator for the political
science department. Her responsibilities included serving as assistant
to the chair, managing budgets and grants, and supervising staff. She
joined ECE in 1989.
During her long career, Lewis was recognized many
times for her performance and leadership. Her honors include the Wisconsin
Alumni Association Leadership Award, COE’s Bollinger
Academic Staff Distinguished Achievement Award, and Outstanding
Service Awards from both the UW Band Alumni and the University Support
Staff Association.
This past summer, she and her husband John relaxed
at their place in northern Wisconsin, fishing on the Chippewa Flowage
and visiting with relatives and friends. Their future includes a move
to the Southwest, where they plan to continue working for several more
years before officially retiring to spend more time traveling, camping
and fishing.
NEW FUND to support training
of teaching assistants
During her tenure in ECE,
program specialist Donna Lewis encouraged and guided hundreds
of teaching assistants in their growth as instructors, including
five who eventually received university-wide awards for teaching
excellence. Upon her retirement this June, she established the
Donna Lewis TA Training & Development Fund to further this
work.
Lewis has designated the fund for use by the Engineering Learning
Center to support the New Educator’s Orientation (NEO)
program and Teaching Improvement Program (TIP). Both programs
offer a series of college-wide workshops that strive to improve
the quality of under-graduate and graduate education by helping
TAs develop professionally and acquire the skills needed to
enhance student learning.
“So many people have benefited from these programs,”
she says. “And in some cases, these programs and the TA
experience have changed the futures of COE graduate students.”
She also credits the programs’ workshops and luncheons
with “sparking a more positive attitude toward teaching
and learning” in the college.
She also hopes the Donna Lewis fund will be used to sponsor
travel by TAs to national teacher conferences, such as those
hosted by the American Society for Engineering Education. Having
accompanied TAs on five such trips during her 15 years in ECE,
Lewis has seen first-hand the benefits of the experience.
Please visit www.engr.wisc.edu/services/development
to make an online contribution.
|
