91¶ÌÊÓƵ

Congratulations to our faculty member, Dr. Katarina Anderson (ex Pantic), for being among the 12 recipients of the 2025 Presidential Teaching Excellence Award. Dr. Anderson is an Assistant Professor in Teacher Education Department. She earned her PhD in Instructional Technology and Learning Sciences from Utah State University, her master’s degree from North Carolina State University, and her bachelor’s degree from the University of Belgrade in Serbia.

With 23 years of teaching experience, Dr. Anderson began her career in 2002 as an English as a foreign language teacher, working with K-8 students in Serbia. Since 2010, she has been teaching in higher education. She currently teaches courses in media integration for the secondary education and post-baccalaureate certificate programs, as well as proposal writing and educational technology in the Graduate Studies in Education program.

Tributes to Dr. Katarina Anderson

I have had the honor of working with Dr. Anderson for a little over a year, first in her instructional technology course and most recently as one of her graduate students. Dr. K is such an amazing and passionate educator who puts all of her energy into helping her students succeed.

While working on my master’s thesis, Dr. Anderson has been an amazing mentor to me. She has helped me take my thesis from an unorganized set of ideas to a project fully supported by my thesis committee and accepted by the IRB. While working with her, she has been kind, caring, and patient as she’s helped me work through each part of the thesis process. I always look forward to meeting with her to learn more and be a better student and person.

As a professor, Dr. K is professional and knowledgeable. She teaches with patience and is always willing to explain a concept until her students understand. She makes learning fun and uses lots of different teaching styles to show us not only how to use the technology but also how to implement the technology into our own classrooms. As a master's student, the classes I took from Dr. K occurred after school hours, and while it could be hard going to class after I’d already worked a full day, every class was worthwhile, and I would always leave happy that I went to class.

Dr. K loves 91¶ÌÊÓƵ, faculty, staff, and students. She is an amazing professor and I am truly honored to be able to work with her so closely.

-Julia Talbert

I first met Dr. Katarina Anderson during our study abroad preparation class as part of the 91¶ÌÊÓƵ Education Study Abroad Nordic Trip in May 2024. From the very beginning, she demonstrated a deep commitment to her students, setting a tone of excitement and engagement that carried throughout the trip. Little did I know that just two months later, Dr. Anderson would graciously step in as my Master’s Chair midway through my thesis journey, providing invaluable guidance and support.

Dr. Anderson has a remarkable ability to build strong, supportive relationships with her students. She has not only guided me through the complexities of my master’s thesis but has done so with warmth, patience, and a genuine desire to see me succeed. Her dedication to her students' growth is evident in every interaction, and she consistently goes above and beyond to ensure that her students are supported both academically and personally.

Dr. Anderson has a natural gift for weaving technology into the learning process, helping students engage in ways that are both modern and effective. Dr. Anderson’s teaching ability, combined with her deep commitment to her students, has made her an irreplaceable part of my academic experience. She is a professor of the highest caliber, knowledgeable, compassionate and truly invested in the success of her students.

Beyond her teaching, Dr. Anderson embodies what it means to be an educator who cares deeply about both the academic and personal well-being of her students and colleagues. She is not only a trusted mentor but also a friend who brings out the best in everyone she works with.

-Kristine Nichols