Learning Center

Name: Dr. Krisma DeWitt
Hometown: Castlewood, SD
Higher Education: BS Chemistry SDSU, MS Chemistry KSU, Ed.D. USD
Courses You Teach: General Chemistry, Physics, Physical Chemistry, Inorganic Chemistry, Physical Science, Criminalistics
Years at Mount Marty: Currently in my 11th year
Teaching Style: Guided discussion, problem solving, encourage student questioning and discussion.
Student Expectation: Be prepared for class by reading text, work homework problems, turn in work on time, ask questions and see help if needed and, heaven forbid, THINK.
Favorite Food: Cheesecake
Favorite Pastime: Quilting
Foundest Memory of MMC/Why Do You Teach: First day of class each fall when I get to meet all the new students – I teach to see eyes light up when “they get it” plus I love to see students grow and mature during their 4 years of college. I especially love it when they successfully go on to professional or graduate school.

Name: Dr. Alan Ferris
Hometown: Columbus, NE
Higher Education: BA Kearney State College, Kearney NE., M.S. and PhD Kansas State University
Courses You Teach: Introduction to Psychology, Research Methods, Personality Theory, History of Psychology, Testing and Measurement, Physiological Psychology, Cognitive Psychology
Years at Mount Marty: Began in 1992, currently at 19 years.
Teaching Style: I like an easy going dialog with the students in the class, where we reflect upon our experiences using concepts in psychology.
Student Expectation: I expect them to come to class and be intellectually engaged with the topic for the day.
Favorite Food: My top two meals would be grilled Salmon and grilled steak.
Favorite Pastime: Working on my model train, gardening, reading, and working in my woodshop.
Foundest Memory of MMC/Why Do You Teach: I like to teach because it gives me the opportunity to help students better understand who they are and why act the way they do.

Name:Dr. Richard Lofthus
Higher Education: I am a graduate of the University of North Dakota and Regent College in Vancouver, British Columbia. My masters and doctorate are from the University of North Dakota.
Courses You Teach: I teach three World Cultures classes, two U. S. History surveys and two upper division history courses, and I have been at Mount Marty since 1989. My teaching style is a "hybrid" approach that includes traditional lectures, technology and a lot of documentary film.
Years at Mount Marty: I have been at Mount Marty since 1989 (22 yrs)
Teaching Style: My teaching style is a “hybrid” approach that includes traditional lectures, technology, and a lot of documentary film.
Student Expectation: What I expect of students is that they attend class, pay attention instead of sleeping or playing on their cell phones and complete the assigments--doing just those few things would eliminate almost all other problems that arise while taking a history course. Beyond that it would be helpful for students to demonstrate that they are actually interested in their own education.
Favorite Pastime: One of my favorite pastimes is reading because it is the primary way to learn history. Reading introduces me to the ideas of scholars who have various interpretations of historical events, it increases my vocabulary and gives me valuable information that I can use when I teach. It would do all of this and more for any student who would be willing to take the road less traveled and read a serious book beyond the requirements for any course. Another favorite pastime for me is photography. I use it to bring my travels into the classroom and to provide the college and student athletes with photographs.
Foundest Memory of MMC/Why Do You Teach: I teach because I think it is a powerful profession and a tremendous challenge. My goal is to work to encourage each of my students to develop an appreciation of history.

Name: Sr. Marielle Frigge
Hometown: Grew up on a farm near Bow Valley, NE
Higher Education: MA in Theology (Washington Theological Union),
PhD in theology & Education (Boston College),
post-doctoral study in Chicago & Jerusalem
Courses You Teach: Intro to Christianity, Biblical Studies, Synoptic Gospels, Symbol & Sacrament, Jesus the Christ
Years at Mount Marty: Started year #33 in January 2011
Teaching Style: Focused on clear student learning objectives that structure assignments, in-class work, and evaluation by means of quizzes, exams, papers, and occasional graded group work. I always have a plan, but if student need requires changing that plan, I change it.
Student Expectation: That they are always actively present for class (unless they have a VERY good reason), have prepared for each class by doing assigned thinking, reading, and/or writing; that they participate with appropriate questions and/or contributions to class discussion; that they listen respectfully to one another as well as to the instructor. In exams and papers I expect clear, focused, well-organized thinking with attention to detail.
Favorite Food: Just about anything spicy/hot, specially Mexican and Korean food
Favorite Pastime: Reading, making greeting cards and beaded jewelry
Foundest Memory of MMC/Why Do You Teach: I teach because I have a passion for the subject matter, especially Scripture, and because I want to share that. Also because I believe that whatever the subject matter of a course, students should be learning to think more critically and clearly. Fond memory? When a student or former student says something like “I feel more confident in teaching my children about their faith because of my RSP courses at MMC…

Name: Dr. Nicholas Shudak
Hometown: I was born in Huron, SD. However, much of my growing up was done just outside of Milwaukee and in a western suburb of Chicago called St. Charles.
Higher Education: I have a B.S. Ed. in elementary education and political science from Northern Illinois University; an M.S. Ed. in what’s called Foundations of Education with an emphasis in philosophy also from Northern Illinois; and, a PhD in Education in a program titled Culture, Curriculum, and Change with an emphasis in philosophy from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
Courses You Teach: Currently I teach EDN 150 (Orientation to Teaching), EDN 343 (Elementary Social Studies Methods), EDN 360 (South Dakota Indian Studies), EDN 442 (Secondary Social Studies Methods), EDN 453 (Student Teaching Seminar), and EDN 490 (Professional Seminar for Teachers)
Years at Mount Marty: Finishing up my 4th year (started in 07-08)
Teaching Style: A good blend of low tech techniques. Almost every class has a bit of lecture and board work, discussion, an activity organized around an assignment, and the use of good old comprehension checks known as quick quizzes.
Student Expectation: Hopefully the same they expect from me: the best. Furthermore, I expect students to start developing a penchant and passion for becoming a knower, for working within the realm of ideas, and for making ideas useful and purposeful for others. I expect students who want to become teachers to enjoy the learning process and for engaging in it perhaps more fully than others.
Favorite Food: Almost any kind of breakfast food. I suppose original buttermilk pancakes with maple syrup would be my desert island food.
Favorite Pastime: This changes occasionally but it revolves around sports. Right now I’m a huge fan of NFL caliber football (16 game season). I’ve also developed an interest in college basketball that I probably didn’t have prior to graduate school. And when I have time and money I drag race my 1966 Chevy C10 pickup truck at Thundervalley with friends. Family is always number one, though.
Foundest Memory of MMC/Why Do You Teach: I have many fond memories of MMC thus far. However, the one that sticks out right now is a bit bitter-sweet. Much of my time spent here has also been spent on finishing my dissertation. Most of that time was from 10pm to 2am in my office with books and papers all over the place, a coke on my desk, and a 1lb bag of M&Ms not too far away. Why Do I Teach? This is a tough question, even for those in the field of education. I like teaching because I like the realm of ideas about education; I like the challenge of tying to make ideas make sense for other people and working through that process in a relational type of way.