Dr. Kim Zgonc Named September 2019 Faculty Member of the Month

September 27, 2019 Robert Lane

Indian River State College recognizes West Melbourne resident Kimberly D. Zgonc, Ph.D. as the September Faculty Member of the Month. Kim first joined IRSC faculty to serve as Assistant Professor in the School of Education in August 2009. In August 2012 she was named Associate Professor before her well-earned promotion in August 2016 to her current position, Full Professor—School of Education.

Kim is an essential part of the School of Education team, with a reputation among her colleagues and students as a consummate professional and instructor. Kim holds her Ph.D. in Education, specializing in Special Education, from the University of Central Florida. Joining IRSC the first semester students from the Bachelor of Education program graduated, Kim was instrumental in laying the foundation for the program and the corresponding internship experience.

While teaching a wide variety of upper-division ESE methods and strategies courses, Kim has moved to Open Educational Resources (OER) for the lower division Introduction to Special Education (EEX 2010) course. This course lays the foundation for all the other ESE courses.

Kim is the recipient of the 2016 IRSC Foundation J. Douglass Stephens Endowed Teaching Chair. This recognition allowed Kim to develop the T.E.A.M. Institute—an innovative approach to create an alumni mentoring institute that connects current School of Education students with alumni who share their valuable on-the-job experience, teaching ideas, and strategies. Kim earned the 2017 John & Suanne Roueche Excellence Award at the League of Innovation. She also served as Secretary on the State Board of the Florida Teacher Education Division for ESE professors in Florida, and now serves as the IRSC Education liaison for the Learning Alliance Moonshot Community Action Network (MCAN).

Students who take classes with Kim, or “Dr. Z,” eagerly say how they value her passion for teaching, “Dr. Z is truly there to help her students!” Another of Kim's student adds, “Her activities in the classroom are engaging—she makes you aware of what you need to know.” They add, “She always gives feedback, and her assignments are both challenging and rewarding.” Another student appreciates Kim's demeanor, “I have been treated with kindness and respect by Dr. Z. Be sure to take her classes, online or face-to-face—either way, she is awesome!”