One of Allen Community College’s newest instructors sees communication as a bridge connecting people to each other and to the world.
But starting a new job during the coronavirus pandemic means she may need to forge a new path forward.
Terri Fahnestock was one of the last in-person interviews conducted at ACC in late February, just before the virus shut down schools across the country at spring break.
It would be a couple of nerve-wracking months before she knew if she had a job. And even now, as she settles into the classroom routine this week, she’s had to learn to be flexible.
“This isn’t a traditional classroom setting,” she said, as students file into classes wearing masks and practicing social distancing.
“How do we instruct students in new ways we might not have discovered? Planning is desirable, but it’s not really realistic right now.”
In spite of the challenges, Fahnestock is grateful for the opportunity at ACC. She grew up in Oklahoma and attended a similarly sized community college.
After that, she worked at Ozark Technical College, a much larger school, in the admissions department. She found it difficult to create lasting connections with students in that position, which left her yearning to make more of a difference.
“I had a handful of students where I feel like I really made an impact and watched them succeed beyond college,” she said.
For example, she kept in touch with a formerly homeless student who was able to transfer to PIttsburg State University to complete his education. She helped him navigate through the complicated world of college admissions.
“Some of the people who influenced me the most were in smaller colleges,” she said.
She also was impressed by Allen’s robust online learning program and its efforts to streamline the college experience and remove barriers with things like a flat-rate tuition.
“I’m someone who’s always going to be looking to recruit students, and Allen has a lot to offer,” she said.
Fahnestock earned a master’s degree in instructional design, which requires teaching experience. She enjoys teaching communications because it’s so essential to the human experience.
“I feel we need more people out there with communication backgrounds, especially in a global society,” she said.
