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Tracy M. Dodson, Ph.D., MSN, RN, CEN, associate professor at the College of Nursing, is committed to helping students succeed through compassion and innovative teaching techniques.

“My goal has always been to transform complex material into lessons that are understandable, engaging and practical,” Dodson wrote in a reflection about her teaching, “lessons that not only prepare students to be competent nurses but also help them grow into critical thinkers and compassionate caregivers.”  

These techniques, accompanied by a passion for education, have been recognized with the Glenn Frank Distinguished Teaching Award. A fact that brings joy to Dodson.

“It feels so good,” Dodson told ����ԭ�� Today. “What I am doing matters to people; that was the best honor.”

The Glenn Frank Distinguished Teaching Award is sponsored by the ����ԭ�� Alumni Association and the University Teaching Council. This new award, combining the former Distinguished and Outstanding Teaching Awards, honors all full-time and part-time faculty and is presented to four individuals who demonstrate extraordinary teaching in the classroom and a commitment to impacting the lives of students. For her courses, Dodson creates expert modeling videos to help students visualize, prepare and understand how clinicals should run. These video applications, in turn, boost confidence and create better clinical performance.  

Students agree that Dodson’s approach has helped them learn challenging material that they otherwise would not grasp without the help of Dodson’s teaching strategy.

“You have seriously helped me so much with my confidence and abilities to perform tasks,” wrote one student in a course evaluation. “Although I was definitely nervous at times, your way of teaching has seriously changed my nursing experience.” 

Dodson recognizes how stressful courses and clinicals can be and wants to make the process as smooth as possible.  

“I really wanted to do something to help students. You have an active role in front of your peers, you know your faculty is watching you, it’s nerve-racking. You don’t want to say the wrong thing,” Dodson said. “Now that they watched the videos, they are able to put the pieces of the puzzle together, it helps them be more successful.”  

Aside from academic performance, Dodson is dedicated to the personal development of students in the nursing program.  

“Nursing is hard,” Dodson said. “I teach a nine-credit-hour course. It is high stakes. It could be the difference between you getting your next scholarship or not. It’s the difference between you getting honors or not.”

Dodson recognizes that students have busy lives. Some are raising families or are working to pay off the cost of higher education. Dodson tells her students to come to her if they are struggling.  

“I do care about them because I want them to know, ‘don’t give up on your dreams,’” Dodson said. “I know it is hard going to school and trying to work, but you can do this. Let’s work together and find a way to make you successful.”  

Dodson’s dedication to education and her students shines through, similar to the efforts of Glenn Frank himself.  

The finalists and four winners of this award were honored at the University Teaching Council’s 31st Annual Celebrating College Teaching Conference on Oct. 24.

Learn more about the Glenn Frank Distinguished Teaching Award.

Learn more about the College of Nursing.  

Glenn W. Frank was a ����ԭ�� professor in the Department of Geology from 1953 to 1984. He was widely known as a strong teacher, a ����ԭ�� alumnus, and an early winner of the Alumni Association's Distinguished Teaching Award in 1969, as well as a recipient of the ����ԭ�� President’s Medal in 1986. Frank was widely thought of as a hero, having convinced the students to leave the Commons after the May 4, 1970, shootings.