Balma Named 2021 Faculty of the Year
Surprised in a celebratory Zoom meeting room on March 4, Fullerton College students, faculty and staff recognized Political Science Professor Jodi Balma as the 2021 Faculty of the Year. The confidential nomination process in which Balma rose to the top among her peers included statements from current and former students recognizing the positive impact she made on their lives and academic journeys.
“Without Jodi’s support and comfort, I would have never considered being an honors gender studies student at UCLA, speaking at Fullerton College’s LGBT Forum, nor coming out to the world,” one nominator stated. “Jodi’s mentorship, teaching methods, and presence is the greatest gift I could ever receive.”
Several nominations included details about her support to LGBTQ+ students. She has served as an adviser for Fullerton College’s Queer People of Color and Political Science Student Associations. Balma is also a two-time recipient of the Faculty of the Year Award; she received the award in 2014.
In addition to life-changing positive impacts, many student nominations included support for Balma simply because of her teaching style and pedagogy of political science courses.
“She makes her students ponder on what kind of a future it is they desire: one of monotone obedience to the status quo or one of advocation of one’s rights and civil liberties. Too often Political Science courses solely focus on white men in power who have made major decisions, but Professor Balma emphasizes that we cannot ignore the existence, significance, and contributions of women, people of color, immigrants, disabled groups, and the LGBTQIA+ community.”
Balma said her teaching philosophy centers on helping students understand the role they can play in their own communities and government.
“I focus on local politics primarily because there’s so little attention paid to the very level of government where we have the most power to make changes and have our voices heard. Introducing students to community problems and seeing them understand the power they have to affect change and to improve their own community through school boards, city councils, and county government is the greatest gift I can offer my students. As I often remind them, ‘You don’t have to change the entire world, but what you do can mean the world to those around you.’ ”
The Faculty of the Year is selected by a committee comprised of members from Associated Students and Faculty Senate. Balma and five other finalists will be formally recognized when it is safe to do so. The five other finalists are Archie Delshad, Sheilah Dobyns, Laura Lazarus, Meg O’Rourke, and Catherine Reinhardt.
