Monica Kowal is a Professor of Practice for Civic and Community Engagement with the UNM Innovation Academy. She is the Director of Community Engagement Initiatives in the Office of the Provost, Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs and Associate Dean of University College. Kowal was formerly a lecturer in the Department of English Literature & Language where she teaches professional writing.
Expertise
- For the past 13 years she has taught English language, literature, and composition at the middle school, high school, and college levels.
- Monica holds a Ph.D. in Curriculum and Instruction from New Mexico State University.
- Her dissertation research focuses on institutionalization and sustainability of service-learning programs.
- Her research and teaching interests include university-community partnerships, experiential education, civic engagement, service-learning theory and practice, service-learning curriculum design, instruction & assessment, institutionalization and sustainability of university community engagement programs, and faculty roles and rewards related to engaged scholarship.
- Prior to teaching, Kowal was a journalist for 12 years, including eight years working in New York City for Reuters International News Service as a financial journalist and for The Associated Press as National Photo Editor.
- She is a UNM alumna (English-Creative Writing, ’93) and holds an MA in Journalism from New York University and an MS in Teaching from Fordham University.
Additional areas of interest
Other research areas and expertise include service-learning theory and practice, institutionalization of university-community partnerships, community engagement and community engaged scholarship.
Contact
If you would like to contact this expert for a story, please call Rachel Whitt at (505) 277.5627 (office) or University Communication and Marketing (UCAM) at (505) 277.5813.