Great Teaching: Ellie Schemenauer

Written by Lalaina Chandanais | Photos by Craig Schreiner

In the “aha!” moments — when students recognize their classroom discussions translating directly into their everyday lives — Ellie Schemenauer feels the most pride in teaching.

An associate professor of women’s and gender studies and chair of the Department of Social Work at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, Schemenauer says her department is centered around open discussion and considering others’ perspectives. So, she always strives for these instances of new connections being made by students both to classroom material and to one another.

“One of the biggest rewards of teaching in women’s and gender studies is when students share how the material makes them feel seen and positively impacts their sense of belonging,” said Schemenauer. “Many of my classes are collaborative and discussion-based where students form friendships through small-group work and other interactions in the classroom.”

As both a first-generation college student and someone whose personal teaching philosophy focuses on allowing her students to “claim their education” — as American poet, essayist, and feminist Adrienne Rich wrote in 1977 — Schemenauer understands first-hand how providing opportunities can open up many more success paths for students that may not have previously considered them an option.

Schemenauer began her own undergraduate experience by leaving her hometown of Stuart, Florida, and moving across the state to pursue a degree in international studies at Eckerd College in St. Petersburg. During her sophomore year, Schemenauer seized an opportunity when she was selected to participate in the Ford Scholars Program, a group that focused on preparing rising juniors for both graduate school and university teaching.

“As a first-generation student, I had no idea what becoming an academic and working in higher education entailed,” said Schemenauer. “It was the research and seminar experiences I had as a Ford Scholar at Eckerd that really fostered my interest in higher education.”

In 2005, Schemenauer was offered a job at UW-Whitewater, where her partner was teaching. At the time she was working at Wake Forest University in North Carolina; after a year of flights back and forth to visit each other, Schemenauer jumped at the opportunity to join the women’s and gender studies faculty on the same campus as her partner.

“While family reasons led me here, I was well aware of the delightful students, engaging and committed colleagues, and supportive community,” said Schemenauer. “I am proud to be teaching in one of the first women’s and gender studies programs in the Midwest. There’s a rich history here and an important legacy of feminist teaching to maintain.”

Just as the Ford Scholars Program offered her support, Schemenauer seeks to uplift each of her students on their educational journeys in ways that are both personalized and grounded in a sense of community.

“Being able to respond to the individual needs of students involves relationship-building and communication. This is one place where the feminist pedagogical values of community-building and the ethics of care can play an important supportive role,” said Schemenauer. “I emphasize diverse perspectives, mentorship and care, community building, and transformative, high-impact experiences."

True attentiveness to students’ needs also means knowing how to approach sensitive topics in a supportive and productive way.

“Let’s face it, some of the content in women’s and gender studies is tough and requires difficult conversations. I try to be intentional about where the most difficult conversations go in the course outline,” said Schemenauer. “Discussions around the most challenging topics tend to be more productive once the class has had the opportunity to get to know one another and create community.”

It is this feeling of communal support that Schemenauer feels is one of the most vital for fostering academic success. She encourages students to take advantage of all that university life has to offer them, and to take opportunities as they come.

“Talk to your professors, talk to your classmates, go on a travel study or study abroad, participate in an undergraduate research project or complete an internship, and attend campus events,” she said. “Overall, make the most of your time at UWW!”