Cathy Hockaday

 

Cathy Hockaday

Adjunct Assistant Professor

Department of Human Development and Family Studies

 

Adjunct Faculty Distinguished Service Award

 

Cathy Hockaday brings creativity, enthusiasm and warmth to every class she teaches, all of which have made her an extremely respected and well-liked member of the College of Human Sciences faculty. Hockaday has taught eight different courses and is especially well-versed in approaches to preventing drug abuse, child maltreatment and family violence. She is innovative and constantly on the look-out for new methods and ideas, yet also utilizes traditional methods that have been proven effective. In tackling a class for the first time, Hockaday is known for seeking out all the previous methods employed by her colleagues before tying them together to create her own unique approach to the course.

Hockaday is a daring thinker and problem solver who is both well-prepared and extremely flexible in her teaching. Her teaching style strikes the delicate balance between providing insightful information and motivating her students to actively process the material presented to them. She constantly reminds students to seek her out with questions and concerns, an extension of the compassion and openness that have become her trademarks. Students and fellow faculty members have remarked on her rare ability to teach without ever making her pupils feel inferior; rather, she manages to empower her students through educating them. She excels at explaining concepts and supporting them through memorable examples and practical experience, which has allowed her to actively engage students and turn dreaded subjects into greatly anticipated ones.

Colleagues note that she has shown excellence in both generating ideas and implementing them, while also lauding her collaborative nature, dedication and sense of humor. Hockaday is a teacher who expects a lot from herself and has consistently displayed the ability to get the most out of her students.