Marg Yaroslaski, Independence Community College’s new Associate Professor of Communication, is bringing a fresh perspective to campus, along with a mission to help students take ownership of their own education.
With a background in leadership development and extensive experience teaching in a community college setting, Yaroslaski understands the many transitions at play for students who are becoming young adults and, perhaps for the first time, experiencing the responsibility of managing their own education priorities. She describes her teaching style as promoting “engaged, active learning.”
“I won’t do the work for them,” she said. “I will give them the tools they need to succeed, but they get to choose whether they will pick up and use those tools.”
Yaroslaski came to ICC from Dodge City Community College, where she was a leadership coach for 16 years. She said she was drawn to ICC because of its support for innovation and bringing new ideas to the table.
To that end, opportunities for student development are being offered via Yaroslaski’s new leadership class launched this semester. The class teaches students to “manage self, then energize others” and incorporates a variety of learning opportunities, including guest presentations from community leaders. The class is offered three days a week and open to any ICC student each Friday. Eventually, Yaroslaski hopes to expand the learning beyond the boundaries of the college campus, with ICC students taking on the teaching roles.
“I want to take this program out to area high schools, where my students will teach the principles they’ve learned and help younger students get an early start on developing leadership skills,” she explained.
More information on opportunities in communications studies is available by calling a recruitment specialist at (620) 332-5486.