Faculty & Staff Story

It's such a small, quaint school where I feel like I can make a genuine difference in the lives of not only students, but also the people they influence on a daily basis now and in their professional and personal futures.”

Suzanne is an Assistant Professor of Therapeutic Recreation (Recreational Therapy) at Catawba. She was hired to develop a Nutrition minor, which is here and growing, as well as a Master’s Degree in Nutrition, which will commence fall of 2024.

She is currently housed in the Exercise Science Department. She works with the Athletic Teams as a Sports Performance Dietitian. She is a co-advisor for the Tri-Alpha organization which promotes academic excellence and provides opportunities for first-generation college students. She is a part of the EDJI Task Force, working to have Equity, Diversity, Justice and Inclusion in our community. She has also been working to collaborate with entities in the community to help positively impact the food insecurity problem in Rowan County.

“I chose Catawba because of the small, tight community feeling I got when I visited,” added Suzanne. “Everyone was so welcoming and genuinely excited about who I was and how I could contribute to the greatness of Catawba.”

“I love the personal interactions I get to have with students,” said Suzanne. “Additionally, in my experience, most faculty and staff are genuinely interested in my success.”

When talking about her students Suzanne said, “The things I teach them are for their scholastic learning, but more importantly, for their growth as individuals. I would say my most outstanding achievements here are the times when students have the “aha moments” that literally help them develop opinions and ideas outside of the space they originally held.”