Dr. Eagle Distinguishes Herself as 2020 Teacher of the Year Award Recipient

Students bustle by Dr. Eagle's office as she softly shuts the door and settles at her desk. It's a late Wednesday afternoon and the sun can be seen setting out the window over her right shoulder. She's usually leaving campus at this time of the day but she stayed behind to speak with a student. Like many other students in the Communication program, this isn't the first time Dr. Eagle has stuck around to help them out. That's just the kind of professor she is. Always dedicated, always ready to help, however she can.

Like most professors, Dr. Eagle's life is just as busy outside of school as it is on campus. She has a family and hobbies in her "real" life but being there for her students is just as important. This, in addition to many other reasons, is why Dr. Eagle is the recipient of the 2020 Lyle E. Gibson Distinguished Teacher of the Year Award.

To Dr. Eagle, being there for her students is the bare minimum of what a professor should be. She believes every student deserves to have professors who listen to them while valuing their existence. It seems like an easy concept but many college students will tell you some professors seem to struggle with this aspect of their job. All too often, students pile into classrooms, go through the motions for an hour, and leave feeling like their professor has no idea who they are. But Dr. Eagle's students are different.

Angelica Mozol is a student in Dr. Eagle's Media and Representation class. The class examines how different communities and ethnic groups are represented in the media. The class is one of Mozol's favorites, not because of the course material but the professor teaching it.

"She explains things in a way that's not only easy to understand but also in a unique way," Mozol said. "The way she approaches her lessons makes me look at things I thought I already knew in a different light. She challenges my usual way of thinking, which is why I love the class so much."

While applying for the Teacher of the Year award, Dr. Eagle reached out to students for letters of recommendation. She recalls feeling strange asking students for these letters but admitted she knew it was important to have their voices highlighted during this process.

Dr. Eagle knows her students think highly of her but, as the letters started trickling in, it blew her away to learn the different ways she has affected them. To her, she's just doing her job by giving students the type of education they deserve, but glowing recommendations like Mozol's and the other students who submitted letters to be included in her application meant the world to her. As she reflected on different compliments she's received from students over the years, she found herself getting a little emotional.

"I noticed as I was reading through the letters from students, one of the things they kept commenting on is the way I made them feel seen," Dr. Eagle said. "I think that's what an award like this means. It's a small confirmation I'm doing what I'm supposed to do."

Every year, CSUDH awards the Lyle E. Gibson Distinguished Teacher of the Year Award to a faculty member who thoroughly knows their subject while demonstrating an ability to keep course materials relevant. Some professors do this by focusing on the course itself but, for Dr. Eagle, it starts with the students. Students can't and won't learn in environments where they are not comfortable. They are unable to thrive with professors they don't connect with. Dr. Eagle has managed to foster classrooms that feel like home for her students and that among other reasons is why she is the recipient of such an esteemed award.