A true lover of education who is passionate about helping her students realize the value of education, Dr. Janay Nugent (history) has been appointed a University of Lethbridge Board of Governors Teaching Chair.
Known for creating a class environment where students feel encouraged and safe to explore new ideas and skills, Nugent has spent years developing a teaching style and philosophy that is both supportive and challenging.
An expert on 16th- to 18th-century Scottish history, Nugent is a U of L alumna who completed graduate degrees at the University of Guelph before joining the Department of History as a sessional instructor in 2000, earning a faculty position in 2004.
Always eager to welcome new students to the university experience, she deliberately chooses to teach History 1000 each fall semester as she believes it is an integral opportunity to connect with students and assist them through the transition to post-secondary studies.
Nugent spends a great deal of time honing her teaching strategies, looking for new ways to engage students in active learning. She welcomes feedback from her students and incorporates their ideas into her lectures.
An ardent supporter of the philosophies of liberal education, Nugent is part of the Liberal Education Revitalization Team and sits on the Global Citizenship Cohort Advisory Committee. Through this involvement, she works to promote the values of liberal education and train students as critical and analytical thinkers.
One of the most popular teachers at the U of L, Nugent has consistently scored at the highest level for teaching through the Faculty Handbook performance evaluation system, was appointed a Teaching Centre Fellow in 2014, was the 2015 winner of the University of Lethbridge Students’ Union Teaching Excellence Award and the 2016 Distinguished Teaching Award winner.
Her appointment as a Board of Governors Teaching Chair is for a two-year term commencing July 1, 2017.