Faculty Favorites: Denise Cumberland recognized for engagement, enthusiasm

Denise Cumberland, assistant professor in the Department of Educational Leadership, Evaluation and Organizational Development, is one of four Faculty Favorites named for the 2015-16 school year. 

Every year, students nominate faculty members they would like to recognize for making a significant impact on their learning and intellectual development. Students described Cumberland as "engaging" and "enthusiastic."

"(Cumberland) is a passionate and engaging educator. She makes it enjoyable to attend class ... She finds ways to get the classroom involved and ensures there is active learning. She embodies the reason I came back to UofL to complete my master's," one student wrote.

Cumberland spent most of her career in corporate marketing, but fell into adjunct teaching on the advice of a friend. She enjoyed it enough to pursue her PhD at UofL, earning her doctorate in Educational Leadership and Organizational Development in 2012. 

"What I always hope to get out of class, and every course, and with every student is that opportunity to connect, to share information to build each other up. I learn as much as the students do. I gather information from them. Many of them have wonderful careers that help each other and help me become better at what I do," Cumberland said. "It's a little bit like a party -- we're just trying to have some fun and learn from one another and make our work better."

More about Cumberland is included in the video below.

This year, students submitted 624 nominations for 334 faculty members to the Delphi Center for Teaching and Learning, which solicits the nominations. The top four professors to receive the most nominations are recognized as “Faculty Favorites.”

The favorites will be recognized publicly at a reception in February 2017 at the Celebration of Teaching and Learning.