Category: Teaching

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About Teaching…

 

“It may be hard for an egg to turn into a bird: it would be a jolly sight harder for it to learn to fly while remaining an egg. We are like eggs at present. And you cannot go on indefinitely being just an ordinary decent egg. We must be hatched or go bad.” This is one of my favorite quotes from novelist C.S. Lewis (1952), that inspired me to reflect on my experience at Brandman and the positive influence change can have on both student and faculty support systems.

In 2015, when I was first asked to begin contributing to the “new Brandman Blog,” it seemed only natural that I would talk about ‘why’ we are all here – our students.

In May of 2018, during the year that I transitioned from Student Services to Academic Affairs, our colleague Matt Venegas, Assistant VC of Business Development, Strategic Business Development, (with his own original humor), shared with me that I had ‘officially become a Brandman statistic.’

I had the honor of being awarded the C.A.F.É. Award for RESPECT (CAFE Awards 2013), one of our institution’s pillars of excellence. (I also had the privilege, the year prior, of being asked to serve on Chancellor Brahms’ inaugural awards committee, where I helped to coin the title of the C.A.F.E. awards themselves).

In 2015, my colleagues in the School of Business honored me with the Faculty of the Year Award.

And in 2017, I was honored with the overall Faculty of the Year award for Brandman University.

What is evident to me is that teaching has always been something that comes from the heart. The passion and drive that our colleagues emanate is what carries us forward and helps to create an environment focused on excellence.
My hope is to continue to contribute academic rigor, quality course content and a space for our diverse student population to learn, thrive and become the transformational leaders and examples they wish to see in the world.

 

 

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Diamond Muganzo

In my five years at Brandman University, only two instructors (after our first class together) have I sought to sit under their teaching and Dr. Jalin Johnson is one.

In 2017, I received my Bachelor’s Degree in Liberal Studies in which Dr. Johnson taught two of my required classes and one elective class. My first reaction to her was that she exudes confidence in not only her abilities to teach but also who she is as a person.

Her ability to command respect from her students and for her students to respect one another and their opinions is a breath of fresh air.

As an Assistant Professor at Brandman University, she exemplifies what Brandman University states on their website: “Discover the Brandman University Difference – Personalized Service From information meetings to registering for class to academic advising, our faculty and staff are committed to helping you access the resources and services you need to succeed at Brandman University” (Brandman University Staff, n.d.).

While under her instruction, she was ever available to answer any question she received and went out of her way to assist her students in succeeding at Brandman University. Her positive and uplifting attitude continually encourages her students to improve who they are and who they will become.

Just imagine the success her students will receive as the sit under her teaching as an Associate Professor.

Reference Brandman University Staff. (n.d.). Current Students. Retrieved Jul 24, 2018, from Brandman University: https://www.brandman.edu/current-students

Diamond L. Muganzo, B.A. Liberal Studies MAT – Multi-subject Teaching Pending 2019 dmuganzo@mail.brandman.edu

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Dr. Rowlanda Cawthon

Working in higher education can be both exhilarating and challenging. As an educator, I have learned that having positive and emotionally intelligent people in your circle of influence makes navigating through the highs and lows of this profession easier.

While earning my Doctor of Education in Organizational Leadership and serving as an adjunct for the School of Business and Professional Studies, I have had the privilege of having Dr. Jalin B. Johnson in my corner as a mentor and friend. Honestly, to say that she is merely a colleague would be an understatement. Dr. Johnson’s level of engagement and concern for me as an adjunct and doctoral student is unparalleled.

Although I live in Washington State, she maintains communication with me and expresses genuine concern for my professional and personal wellbeing. Recently, while teaching a newly developed graduate-level course, an issue emerged with students that required her attention. Dr. Johnson did not immediately assume that I did something wrong, but she extended an opportunity for me to have a voice.

This is only one example of how she made me feel valued and heard. When I was a doctoral student, her encouraging words and belief in me made the journey easier and the light brighter at the end of the tunnel.

I am delighted that Dr. Johnson is preparing for promotion to Associate Professor at Brandman.

Undoubtedly, she serves as an example of a quintessential educator, servant and transformational leader. Based on my experiences and collaborative efforts with her, I wholeheartedly believe she is deserving and beyond capable of advancing Brandman’s vision, mission and values in this capacity.

Respectfully,

Dr. Rowlanda N. Cawthon Alumni and Adjunct, School of Business and Professional Studies Brandman University

cawthon@brandman.edu

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Dr. Gale Mazur

I fully support the recommendation to promote Dr. Jalin Johnson to Associate Professor. In collaborating with her on numerous projects, I’ve found she is a congenial team player who is committed to excellence and innovation in all she does.

Examples include:

ILO Revisions: Collaborating with the Assessment Office, Dr. Johnson and I are leading a project to update and merge the ILO and PLO curriculum maps for the BBA, BAOL and BSCT programs; this effort includes significant revisions to signature assignments.

Course Design: Having completed BCDC, Dr. Johnson works closely with Cii, the Curriculum Team and adjuncts in reviewing and revising courses to ensure they are relevant and current. My oversight courses have benefited from collaborating with her on updates.

Program Assessments/Reviews: Dr. Johnson has actively contributed to several BAOL and MAOL program assessments and reviews, and implemented action plan recommendations in courses for which she has oversight. Her understanding and commitment to these important processes is impressive.

Teaching: I frequently have students who praise Dr. Johnson as an outstanding instructor and mentor who willing shares her expertise These are just a few of many examples of Dr. Johnson’s leadership and commitment. She is a dedicated faculty member who role models Brandman’s values.

Gale Mazur, Ed.D. Associate Professor Organizational Leadership and Human Resources Business and Professional Studies Brandman University

Mazur@brandman.edu T 949.300.7055

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Dr. Monica Shukla-Belmontes

I have had the distinct pleasure of working with Dr. Jalin B. Johnson over the past four years. During this time, Dr Johnson has gone above and beyond her role as a faculty member to bring light to the university’s strategic objectives.

In addition to her role teaching and mentoring students and adjunct faculty as a full-time faculty member, Jalin has also done extensive work with outreach associates, the School of Education, and the Inland Empire campuses. Specifically, she has led presentations for doctoral students during Immersion and been the lead coordinator of Adjunct Faculty professional development opportunities for the Riverside County faculty.

Through these networking opportunities and connections between campus affiliates, Jalin helps to create synergy to positively promote student retention. Her university efforts and quality of her teaching style have earned her recognition as the recipient of the Chancellor’s C.A.F.E. Award, School of Business and Professional Studies Faculty of the Year Award, and university-wide Faculty of the Year Award. In addition, she has been a member of the IRB Committee and Faculty Personnel Committee, which provide a campus-wide service to the institution. More specifically, as an Associate Dean, I have worked closely with Jalin with respect to Program Assessments and Program Reviews, the development of the CBE programs (BBA/MAOL), curriculum updates, and numerous conference presentations. She clearly understands the process through which our course learning outcomes must align back to the program and institutional learning outcomes, and has collaborated to develop more streamlined course rubrics. The quality of her work exemplifies both her leadership skills and understanding of effective curriculum design. She serves as an example of effective teaching, mentoring, and collegiality. It has been a pleasure co-presenting with Dr. Johnson at the American Association of University & Colleges conference regarding the competency-based education programs. Overall, I strongly recommend that Dr. Johnson receive the promotion to Associate Professor as she exemplifies quality in leadership and academia. All the best, Monica Monica Shukla-Belmontes, Ph.D. Associate Dean, Curriculum, Assurance of Learning and Tutorial Faculty Affairs Assistant Professor, Business Administration mshukla@brandman.edu T 714.606.9001

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Dr. Laura Galloway

Dr. Jalin Johnson and I have worked together for over 5 years, and during that time I have watched her collaborate, partner, facilitate, lead, improve and guide several important initiatives and processes for the university. Jalin is professional with every person she is in contact with and in every way. Dr. Johnson, has demonstrated an active interest and aptitude for excellence in teaching, mentoring and service to the University. She received the “Faculty of the Year” award as voted on my the entire University faculty body. She was a member of the inaugural BCDC program launched by BU’s CII department. Her development work continues to be a highlight and has set a new standard of interaction and engagement for course development. Furthermore, she continues to support, guide and mentor students through the difficult process of creating and writing their dissertations in the EdD program. Dr. Johnson is one of the most involved and collaborative faculty members I have seen at Brandman. She is the Diversity director of the AAUW committee, she coordinates and leads the Meniffee Business Advisory Board as well as the Faculty Training for the Ontario Campus. Dr. Johnson is an excellent instructor, innovative course developer, powerful mentor, strategic promoter, and dependable colleague. Dr. Johnson’s work will continue to drive Brandman University into the next level of excellence. Laura M. Galloway, PhD Assistant Professor, Business and Professional Studies Cell: 858.353.9956

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Dr. Sharon Floyd

Dear Faculty Personnel Committee:

I am writing this letter in support of Dr. Jalin Johnson’s promotion to Associate Professor within the School of Business and Professional Studies. I have had the pleasure of working with Dr. Johnson for the past four years, and have come to know her as a proactive and engaged member of our faculty team. She continually looks for ways to bring our team together, whether it be through more formal avenues – such as faculty or curriculum team discussions, or through more informal gatherings, with faculty from other schools.

Dr. Johnson’s positive approach to her work, is enjoyable to observe. She is confident stepping outside of the traditional boundaries of her role, and is always willing to partner with other schools and departments to produce quality work. Whether it’s coordinating the Annual Inland Empire Personnel Development Days, working with the Center for Instructional Innovation (CII) on voice-over projects, participating on Brandman’s Internal Review Board (IRB), or partnering with the doctoral students in the School of Education, she can be counted on to contribute wholeheartedly, and with excellence!

In addition to her work with faculty and staff, her contributions to student success, is also noted. A couple of years ago, she had a group of Inland Empire students that needed a little more hand-holding than the general student population. She took this group of adult learners, and paired them with full-time faculty, in an effort to provide career counseling and support. Dr. Johnson moves with confidence, when working in even the most challenging of situations — never wavering, and always looking to provide opportunities that “stretch” her students.

Dr. Johnson was the first of our faculty team, to complete the BCDC Program, and has continued to implement the tools and lessons learned while engaging in the program. She is an advocate for quality curriculum, and executes with excellence, during the revision of current courses, and the development of new courses and programs.

Lastly, for the reasons stated above — and many more — I wholeheartedly recommend Dr. Johnson’s promotion to Associate Professor, within the School of Business and Professional Studies.

All the Best,
Sharon R. Floyd, EdD, SHRM-SCP
Associate Dean, School of Business and Professional Studies

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Dr. Christine Zeppos

It is my honor to recommend Dr. Jalin Johnson for promotion from Assistant Professor to Associate Professor. There are few individuals who have impacted the university in so many different capacities as Dr. Johnson has during her tenure at Brandman.

First, Dr. Johnson developed the best practices in recruitment of high level leaders throughout the state as we launched our doctoral program in transformational leadership and change. The quality of her interactions and her astute ability to network and build trust was a significant reason highly qualified candidates chose to matriculate to Brandman’s brand new program, over competitors with longer histories and well-known names.

While no person has been able to fill her shoes in the outreach role, I have been thrilled to have Dr. Johnson as a treasured and trusted colleague as faculty in the School of Business and Professional Studies. As an interdisciplinary program, Dr. Johnson’s contributions to our doctoral program are highly valued. She has had a profound impact on our students through excellent instruction, by serving on dissertation committees, by contributing to important immersion activities, and by serving in the important role as a member of the Internal Review Board.

In addition, her sage advice and support on university-wide committees, particularly as member and Vice Chair of the Faculty Personnel Committee, were instrumental in continuing to foster a culture of trust between deans and the faculty. These are just a few highlights of Dr. Johnson’s contributions, but I would be happy to provide additional insight if needed.

Dr. Christine G. Zeppos

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Dr. Len Hightower

 

It is my honor to recommend to you Dr. Jalin Johnson as a candidate for Associate Professor.  I worked closely with her for the past five years.  I had the opportunity to have her to teach courses in the EDOL program, worked with her as part of the EDOL professional development programs, served with her on dissertation committees, worked with her as a member of the faculty leadership team (she was on FPC and I on GAC) along with many hours of conversations about our educational philosophies, and life in general.

Jalin is a wonderful combination of professional and engaging.  She brings a calm to the room when she is there.  A quiet confidence based on astute observation of what is going on.  From my perspective as the one who hired, trained and reviewed the performance of all non-full time faculty in the EDOL program, I loved working with her because I knew she was going to engage with the students at a high level, was going to push them to perform at their max, was up-to-speed with all aspects of the course and she was going to be a very effective communicator. The students and faculty alike very much like Jalin.

She is truly a life-long learner.  This is an overused phrase but it really does describe her.  She always wanted to learn more about the dissertation process, research methodologies, best practices in working with the dissertation students and more.  She also had her own perspective on the content-based courses she taught as well and was willing to share her thoughts on how to improve the program through bringing in new perspectives.  Jalin also was constantly looking to grow in her own discipline.  On a number of occasions I ran into Jalin  making presentations regarding her work at Brandman.

Jalin is a great ambassador for Brandman.  Her belief in the value of a Brandman education coupled with her professionalism, great communication skills and emotional intelligence put forward the best of Brandman faculty.  I am thankful I had the opportunity to work with her and hope to maintain our connection going forward.  Please feel free to contact me if you would like clarification or have questions regarding my support for Jalin.

Respectfully submitted,

Len Hightower, Ph.D.

Managing Director, the Values Institute

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Dr. Jonathan Greenberg

Dr. Jalin Johnson is one of the most capable, talented, and personable professional I have ever worked with in my 41 years as an educator. I met Dr. Jonson more than ten years ago when she was a student in the Doctoral Program in organizational Leadership at the University of La Verne.

Besides having her in class, I was fortunate to be on her dissertation committee. Intellectually, Dr. Johnson is second to none. She is smart, articulate, and has the uncanny ability to relate well with her superiors, her peers, and her students.

We reunited when she joined the Brandman Faculty. Since then, I have had the pleasure of collaborating with her in the Doctoral Program, as well as her work on the Brandman University Institutional Review Board.

Dr. Jalin Johnson is one of the bright and shining stars as an Assistant Professor for Brandman University. Without reservation, I highly recommend her for promotion to Associate Professor. She is a credit to her family, to our profession, and to Brandman University!

Dr.Jonathan Greenberg

greenber@brandman.edu

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Dr. Phil Pendley

It has been my pleasure and honor to work with Dr. Jalin Johnson for the past 6 years.  We have worked together in a number of capacities including the EDOL Program for the EDD in Organizational Leadership, serving on dissertation committees, and, since we both teach at the Menifee Campus, co-teaching our respective classes as opportunity presents itself.  I have found Jalin to be an expert in her areas of expertise and able to successfully interact with and assist students from undergrads to Doctoral candidates. Knowing and working with Dr. Johnson has added value, expertise, and fun to my experience with Brandman.

In addition to being an outstanding and intellectually strong scholar, Jalin possesses exceptional inter-personal abilities and constantly demonstrates the ability to connect successfully with students, staff, and all others she encounters.  She has a quick wit, an excellent sense of humor, and an ability to engage at a high level while maintaining a sense of fun and adventure in the intellectual discovery process. Jalin is a valued colleague because she combines focus on achievement with fun in the process.  She is a delight to work with and I believe she will add tremendous value to any team of which she is a part. I am fortunate to have her as a friend and colleague. Brandman is fortunate to have her as a faculty member.

Sincerely,

Dr. Phil Pendley

Superintendent Hemet USD (Retired)

Brandman University Adjunct Professor

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Jeffrey Lee, EdD

Dr. Johnson has been actively involved in the EDOL program as a dissertation chair, instructor and immersion presenter.

Her contributions have been profoundly impactful on those she has worked with. Students are excited to be chaired by her for their dissertation; anytime she teaches a class or does a presentation at immersion, students are actively engaged and learning.

Her commitment to students is second to none and Brandman doctoral students are always excited to work with her.

Jeffrey Lee, EdD
Professor
School of Education

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Lisa Steiner

I have had the pleasure of working closely with Dr. Jalin Johnson over the past several years on course developments, competency-based education development, and media projects. Dr. Johnson is a tremendous asset to Brandman University, and I am continuously impressed by her passion for our students’ success. She genuinely cares about each and every student, and it is apparent in our discussions and in her thoughtful approach to course design. I also appreciate Dr. Johnson’s commitment to quality courses and her attention to each detail and assignment. Dr. Johnson is a true professional and one of the most considerate people I have worked with. She always fosters a positive environment in each interaction. I can truly say that I consider Dr. Johnson not only an excellent developer, but also as a mentor. She has encouraged me to pursue my goals, and I am fortunate to have the opportunity to continuously learn from her. Lisa Steiner Instructional Designer, CII lsteiner@brandman.edu

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Rachel Choudhury PHD(C), MSN, MS, RN, CNE

I am writing to express my appreciation of our collaborative efforts through Brandman University activities. As part of the first BCDC cohort, I enjoyed learning about your perspectives regarding adult learning.

Your additional insights about the various theories and their relevant application to real world practice was very helpful in my own learning.

Our collegial discourse provided an opportunity to reflect on my own perspectives about teaching and learning. I feel that our discussions and collaboration on the assignments supported my growth as an educator. So, thank you!

I also would like to mention that I am grateful for the invitation to the AAUW and the discussion on diversity/inclusivity.

This topic is such an important piece of our profession as educators, to the extent of providing a holistic approach to teaching.

Addressing the issues of diversity and inclusivity, as part of our organizational culture, supports the growth of our faculty and students as responsible and conscientious citizens locally, nationally, and globally.

I am very happy to be part of the ongoing discussions on how we can best promote diversity/inclusivity at Brandman University.

Your leadership and support is greatly appreciated!

With Warm Regards, Rachel Rachel Choudhury, MSN, MS, RN, CNE

Associate Dean and Program Director, BSN Musco School of Nursing and Health Professions (MSNaHP)

rchoudhu@brandman.edu T 949.341.7634

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Dr. Nate Sexton

Throughout my time at Brandman I have found Jalin to be a wonderful resource from her willingness to answer any questions, to her thoughtful responses. While she has helped me to better navigate through questions I have at times about the Brandman system, it really can’t be stated enough her ability to understand and connect with students.

She was able to offer guidance and support as I looked for way to better connect to students through an online world.

Recently while teaching one of her redesigned shells, I was reminded of how she stays student focused and helps to lay things out in a manner that are easy to follow and be understood.

Dr. Nate Sexton

nsexton@brandman.edu

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John “Jay” Hawes

“Over the last several years, it has been a great pleasure to work closely with Jalin Johnson in the OLCU courses that I teach online for Brandman University. She has consistently done a thorough job of overseeing the courses I teach and revising them from time to time which is not an easy task. She has done a superior job of communicating with the faculty under her and keeping them well informed. Whenever there has been a curriculum or course-related issue, Jalin has been easy to get in touch with and has always offered professional and helpful advice. She has guided the faculty as a team when updating and improving online courses. The improvements I’ve seen her produce consistently maintain the rigor of the courses as well as key academic objectives. I continue to value her as a mentor and guide with regard to teaching and curriculum development. Sincerely, John Hawes, MIM 916-715-4071 (cell – PST) Adjunct Faculty Member for Chapman and Brandman Universities since 1993” John (Jay) Hawes, MIM Adjunct Instructor since 1993 hawes@brandman.edu 916-715-4071

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Tamara Ciraulo

In life you meet just a handful of people who stay connected and make you a better version of yourself. Jalin Brooks Johnson is one of those special people. Just Jalin was her email for many years and you know what? She’s “Just Jalin”– she is humble, kind, creative, loving, and will not let someone give up on themselves. She is a born teacher and leader. I blame her for introducing me to this amazing world of academia. I am grateful every day for the opportunity to influence and instruct the brilliant minds that come to Brandman and I owe that to Jalin Johnson. Tamara Ulufanua-Ciraulo Senior Director Insurance Administration Stater Bros. Markets ciraulo@brandman.edu

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Erik Dye

In my experience as a retired Navy Chief Petty Officer with 22 years of service I found that Professor Johnson was extremely intelligent, insightful and firm, but fair. I did not, in fact, expect my experience at Brandman to be a life altering experience, however it was and this is in large part due to Professor Johnson’s guidance and mentoring.

I entered Brandman University as I retired from the US Navy and having just been diagnosed with a serious medical condition. I truly considered stepping away from school, but continued due to the engagement, perhaps the temporary escape from reality. I stayed at Brandman due to the challenge it brought me and the insight of professors, especially Professor Johnson.

There is a rare point in time where education, mentoring and growth flourish. I, personally, found this to be true Brandman University and specifically in Professor Johnson’s courses. To find a space, especially in these times, in which a respectful discourse could take place and one could freely speak their mind is rare. An environment in which students could agree to disagree and understand that this was acceptable is truly an infrequent event, but was the norm under Professor Johnson’s tutelage.

Erik Dye

dye9102@mail.brandman.edu

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Dr. John Besaw

Dr. Jalin Johnson is highly regarded as an educator who collaborates and visibly supports her Adjunct Faculty teams.

She is positive, supportive and a caring role model who understands collaborative communication processes and develops strong student-centered teams.

She understands the complexity and challenges of online learning, while providing needed encouragement and guidance to adjunct faculty team members. Her support, encouragement, and guidance have been instrumental to success. I consider Jalin as a trusted and experienced colleague.

In areas where I struggle, I have depended on Jalin to provide advice and connect me to the main campus. During these times it has been a two-way experience as she provides advice and perspective.

There is no doubt that she has a very significant positive impact. I appreciate her commitment of time and energy. She has always been there when needed.

Please accept my enthusiastic support of Dr. Jalin Johnson for advancement to Associate Professor. I look forward to working with her in the future.

Moreover, I feel we owe it to our students and the institution to have Dr. Jalin Johnson become an Associate Professor!

Sincerely, John Besaw, Ph.D.

Adjunct Faculty jbesaw@brandman.edu

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Dr. Kimberly Greene

Dr. Jalin Johnson, while serving as one of the most consistent and authentic models of collegiality from our first meeting to this very day, was a joy to work alongside throughout our time as the first BCDC cadre. Her passion for serving her students was evident in all aspects of the experience- from conversations on social learning theory to debates on the viability of different technologies, to recognizing how she could share her particular strengths and benefit from harnessing the different strengths of peers.

Jalin was (and is) the thoughtful ying to my overly exuberant yang; she was a very real thought-leader across the entire BCDC process by listening and reflecting before jumping into the fray. Thus, as I would be bouncing about the room with ideas for this, that, or the other, Jalin took it all in and offered either a brilliant insight that elegantly focused my tangents into a smart, cohesive, realistic concept or she asked a single, astute question to afforded a clean, smart paring down of options presented to empower us all to move forward in our design work with greater clarity of purpose. I recognize my words of support may read as hyperbole, but I give you my highest of assurances that there is no exaggeration here.

My appreciation for Dr. Johnson’s participation, collaboration, engagement, and her perspectives throughout the BCDC experience cannot be overstated.

As a testament to the high quality of her finished product be the end of our time together, I asked for permission to use one of the leadership videos she made for her students in the new course I was creating (Instructional Practitioner Leadership). As you can imagine, she said yes with no hesitation; the video is indeed in the course and my students appreciated the content and experience of watching the video so much that several specifically noted it as one of their favorite resources that they would take with them into the real word beyond our class.

Kimberly Greene, Ed.D. Professor, Chair MAE CT School of Education kgreene@brandman.edu T 310.422.1662

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Robert Brown

Dr. Jalin Johnson is amongst my professors in my undergrad studies that left a lasting impression on me. Dr. Johnson creates a learning environment that helps to relate key concepts and theories in an understandable way to all students. She encourages everyone in class to become involved and helps us to identify past accomplishments and failures that relate to course topics. Personally I was apprehensive to start my graduate work, my mind was set at ease when I found out Dr. Johnson would be my first professor towards a graduate degree. From my experience with her before, I knew that the course would not only be enjoyable but I would have a professor who knew how to reach her audience and help them become better leaders. She utilized tools like ice breakers, group projects and in class discussion that made class enjoyable and the highlight of my week. She utilized stories from personal experience and personally developed in class presentations that made every night in class memorable. Robert Brown rbrown4@mail.brandman.edu