Our #newtoACC series welcomes new faculty to our Austin Community College Riverbat family.

Meet Ashley Munteanu, ACC’s new Professional Nursing faculty member!

What inspired you to apply to teach at Austin Community College?

My friend who is a student in the Occupational Therapy Assistant program at the Eastview Campus. She said great things about ACC, so I researched the school online and liked what I saw.

Currently teaching?

Foundations for Nursing Practice and Common Concepts of Adult Health

Three words that best describe you?

Friendly, energetic, and organized

When you were little, what did you want to be when you grew up?

When I was very young, I wanted to be a teacher. I remember always teaching to my teddy bears and using old textbooks from the thrift store as my props. In college, I changed my mind about teaching and decided to become a nurse. In the end, I’ve definitely achieved my goal of becoming a nurse educator… I’ve got the best of both worlds!

Talk about a teacher who had a big impact on your life.

I took a spin class in college at the rec center (worth one credit), and the instructor was awesome. I’d leave the class not only having exercised my body, but my brain got a major work out too. The instructor was at least 50 years old, and had a ton of stories to share about his life, his travels, his family, his education, and background. He would discuss world events, but without stimulating political debates. He would provoke us to think about the world around us and what our passions are in life. I remember wishing that all of my teachers in nursing school had the same charisma and energy. Because of that instructor, I’ve always wanted to further my education – with my doctorate being the end goal.

How do you make learning fun and creative for students?

For some of my lectures, I illustrate as I teach the content. Think of Khan Academy videos…. those are popular for a reason. Khan Academy draws on the screen while explaining the material. I try to do the same in class; of course, some topics are much easier to draw than others. I encourage students to draw along, and I think this helps keep them engaged and to learn the material better.

How do you create a classroom culture that intentionally welcomes and supports students from different racial/ethnic and socio-economic backgrounds?

During each clinical (in post-conference) my students answer questions about themselves, and we have fun getting to know each other. For example, some of the questions my students have answered so far are about their favorite restaurants, passions in life, and strengths. By answering questions such as these, it promotes a learning environment of respect and inclusion. We are all happy to share and hear each other’s answers.

Welcome Ashley to ACC!

Post a comment below or email Ashley Munteanu at ashley.munteanu@austincc.edu.