This is Bonni Stachowiak. Dean of Teaching and Learning Education at Vanguard, Bonni enjoys finding new ways to enhance education.
After completing her undergraduate degree, Bonni spent time working in different professional roles before going back to Chapman University for an MA in Organizational Leadership. There, she met her husband, Dave, who took a class with her on building teams in organizations. They joke that the class inspired them to build a team of their own as a family. Bonni and Dave later received their EdD degrees in Organizational Leadership from Pepperdine University.
Bonni has experience working with other larger institutions such as the UC Irvine and Chapman University. She credits her passion for technology stemming from the beginning of her career at a computer training company. But she knew even before then that she loved education. "I used to 'teach' in my room at home to my stuffed animals – I have always wanted to teach," she shares.
Bonni enjoys keeping up to date with technology and new applications and implements them throughout her profession. She says, “I love the ways in which technology can connect us all.” She currently has a podcast called Teaching in Higher Ed that explores the art and science of being more effective at facilitating learning.
Her husband encouraged her to start the podcast because there weren’t other shows dedicated solely to a faculty community seeking to improve teaching methods. Other podcasts at the time were more oriented toward educational policy or were focused on other listeners besides professors.
Bonni continues to stay current in providing a contemporary education for our students. And we look forward to seeing her future projects in the near future!