During my first academic year (2013-2014) as an Assistant Professor at Blue Lake University, I took great strides to integrate service into the fabric of my professional identity. These endeavors spanned various domains - service to the university, the college, my profession, and the broader community. Each of these roles allowed me to leverage my academic skills and insights for the benefit of others while also enriching my own understanding of educational practices and policies.

Service to the University

As a member of the Assessment Committee at Blue Lake University, my contributions were multifaceted and impactful. We undertook critical functions aimed at maintaining and enhancing the quality of academic programs. In other words, my service in this capacity had direct implications for the educational experiences of countless students and the pedagogical strategies employed by faculty across disciplines. 

Simultaneously, I was also honored to serve on the Advisory Board for the Center for Innovative Teaching and Learning. Here, I had the unique opportunity to help shape teaching and learning strategies at the institutional level. My involvement focused on promoting innovative teaching techniques and advising on program development, which aligns closely with my research interests in effective pedagogy.

Service to the College

At the college level, I committed myself to advancing the cause of diversity, equity, and inclusion as a member of the Diversity and Inclusion Committee. My role on this committee involved actively participating in initiatives, policy discussions, and awareness campaigns. Through this service, I collaborated with dedicated colleagues, and together, we made strides toward creating a more inclusive academic environment. 

Service to the Profession

In my profession, I had the privilege of reviewing conference paper proposals for the esteemed American Educational Research Association (AERA) Annual Conferences. My duties involved meticulously evaluating the quality, relevance, and rigor of each submitted paper. But most of all, this role allowed me to contribute to shaping the discourse in the field of educational research. 

Service to the Community

In terms of community engagement, I volunteered in the Blue Lake School District’s STEM Program and also served as a mentor in the Youth Education Outreach Program. Both roles provided me with a fulfilling opportunity to directly impact the educational experiences of young students outside the university setting. 

The underlying idea behind my service activities is to inform my instruction and scholarship. In other words, I follow a teacher-scholar approach in my service endeavors, just as I do in my research. My various roles have allowed me to collaborate with colleagues across different settings, enriching both my teaching and scholarly work. I plan to continue with these lines of service as I firmly believe that they not only enrich me professionally but also contribute to making a positive impact in the educational landscape.