As a learning-centered college focused on providing excellent student outcomes, Paradise Valley Community College is proud to recognize Chemistry Faculty Julie Olander for her efforts in making a positive difference in the classroom.
Olander was recently awarded the 2022 Dale P. Parnell Distinguished Faculty Recognition. She follows other recent PVCC faculty winners including Dr. Dina Preston-Ortiz (2019), David Bradley (2020), and Dr. Casey Durandet (2021).
Olander has served as chemistry faculty at PVCC since 2014 and as the college's faculty developer since 2018. In the chemistry classroom, Julie promotes student success by helping each student discover their own system for learning, unpacking, and then applying intimidating course content. Chemistry is taught alongside "how to learn" chemistry, the concept of which is not "built in" for most students. Upon completing the class, her students know the terms organization, rigor, practice, challenge, planning, prediction, connection, priming, and reflection.
Established in 2018, this recognition is named in honor of former American Association of Community College (AACC) President and CEO Dale P. Parnell. The 2022 recipients will be honored at AACC Annual 2022 May 1, 2022, in New York City.