Winner of Hatch Award: Trudi Peterson

Monmouth College women’s studies professor and communication studies department chair Trudi Peterson was honored with the Hatch Award for distinguished teaching in the classroom. Being a Monmouth College tradition, the Hatch Award is granted by a Monmouth alumnus to a professor who has made a positive, influential impact on their academic and career success.

Ironically, Professor Peterson admits that public speaking is not one of her most favorite hobbies despite having a master’s degree in interpersonal and public communication and a doctorate in communication.

Although not being a fan of public speaking, Peterson prefers to have her classroom be discussion based where the students and the professor have back-and-forth dialogue where everyone’s voice is heard and valued. Peterson also states: “I like discussion-based classes. I like my students engaged. So I teach old school. I don’t use PowerPoints. I believe that once you put that PowerPoint up, you lose the students, and they’re just trying to write down what you have on the slides.” By having this atmosphere in the classroom, the alumnus who nominated Peterson for the award stated, “You HAVE to take a class from Trudi Peterson.” By establishing this discussion dialogue in class, Peterson’s students are able to engage their own ideas alongside hearing the ideas of Professor Peterson. Instead of a teacher-student relationship, Trudi Peterson likes to look at her relationship with her students to be a friendship and mentorship above anything else. The success Trudi Peterson’s current and former students have accomplished can be directly correlated to how well she has taught in the classroom, ultimately leading her to earning Monmouth College’s Hatch Award.

Griffin Morrill - News Editor