#NISODProfiles – Patty Donaldson
“My best piece of advice for my colleagues is, ‘Don’t sweat the small stuff!’”
How long have you been an educator?
I have taught 12 years at the college level, and 11 at the public high school level.
What is your favorite part about being a community or technical college educator?
The small class sizes, being able to get to know students’ needs better, the flexibility of scheduling, the opportunities to perform innovative and creative teaching, and the many opportunities to learn new skills make being a community college educator very rewarding.
What is your best piece of advice for new or existing colleagues at community or technical colleges in your field?
Don’t sweat the small stuff!
If you could have dinner with anyone, who would it be and why?
I would have dinner with Mark Adickes, a premier sports doctor in Houston. Not only that, he played college, and then professional, football, and went on to Harvard Medical School. His story is fascinating, and I would like to get to know more about his experiences.
Every month, NISOD profiles faculty and staff from our member colleges who are doing extraordinary work on their campuses. #NISODProfiles offer a direct connection to your colleagues from across the world who exemplify NISOD’s mission of improving teaching, learning, and leadership.