Sara E. N. Kangas

Nominated by:
Sayed Abed, Tashina Khabbaz

Comments from nominator:
Tashina Khabbaz: I had the pleasure of getting to know Dr. Kangas through her qualitative class last semester. On the first night of class, she asked her students what they wanted to get out of the course. This small gesture revealed her reflective and caring nature. As Dr. Kangas introduced us to qualitative methods, her passion was infectious to the point where I, too, began to feel similar sentiments through our assignments. I truly admired Dr. Kangas' way of being with her students. She was always authentically real in class, whether it be related to certain difficulties that emerge when conducting a study or adjusting to the reality of COVID-19. It was evident that Dr. Kangas graciously knew how to respond to unexpected situations while also being true to herself and her students. Thank you, Dr. Kangas!

Mentor comments:
When I was a graduate student, I benefitted from faculty mentoring me in the unspoken norms of my field. If it were not for them, I would not have a career that I love. Now that I am a faculty member, I carry that same focus with me as I mentor, with the hope that the students I work with end up professionally in a place they love.