By Jamil Oakford/ editor-in-chief
Photos by Bogdan Sierra Miranda/The Collegian
Discovering a richness in diversity and culture at a two-year college was only the beginning of a journey for NW Campus’ Chancellor’s Award winner.
English instructor Wendi Pierce knew for some time that teaching was her calling.
“I guess I always wanted to be in the classroom from a very young age,” Pierce said. “The kind of dynamic teaching I responded to inspired me to follow this path.”
Choosing English as her subject of instruction was also not as hard as Pierce thought.
She enjoyed the many aspects of teaching that came with English.
While Pierce has taught both composition and literature sections of English, she finds composition one of her favorites.
“I love to teach writing,” she said. “I like it when students can find the relevance to their lives. I like being able to share that with them.”
She especially enjoys teaching students who need extra help with their writing before starting in college-level writing.
“Seeing students improve their writing and confidence is so rewarding,” she said.
Getting to see her pupils realize their writing is worthy of an audience was another special benefit from teaching, she said.
Pierce began teaching at Southern Methodist University in Dallas. It wasn’t until she came into contact with a program called Upward Bound that she found her way to two-year colleges.
She started working at El Centro College in downtown Dallas. After taking three years off from teaching to write on her own, she returned to teaching in 2004 on NW Campus.
“It was a very different environment,” Pierce said. “I definitely prefer the diversity in age and cultures at a two-year college.”
NW English associate professor Angela Chilton was excited to hear about the news of her colleague’s award.
“I was very pleased,” she said. “I’ve worked with her since she became full-time in 2009, and I think she is a tremendously passionate instructor.”
NW student Chad Morgan was happy that his teacher was honored for her hard work.
“She takes so much time to help us. It’s good to know she was honored for all that,” he said.
Of Pierce’s many great experiences while teaching, one particular moment stands out above the rest. An African student was late to class one day because he was being sworn in as a U.S. citizen.
“He was so excited about his citizenship,” she said. “We put what was planned for the day aside and let him share in that excitement with everyone.”
Students asked him what the process was like, and he offered them questions he had to answer on the citizenship exam. It is moments like this that Pierce holds dear.
“I like to see when students form their own community,” she said. “When they can learn from one another, it’s a very special thing.”
