Sam Dancis
La Salle,CO
Summary
Dedicated and innovative educator with a robust background in designing and facilitating courses addressing power dynamics, privilege, intersectionality, and oppression, with a keen awareness of the structural inequities faced by historically marginalized student groups in higher education. Demonstrates a profound understanding of diverse learning styles and fostering inclusive learning environments. Exceptional communication and interpersonal skills facilitate authentic connections with students from diverse backgrounds.
Overview
10
10
years of professional experience
Work History
Development Specialist -part Time Position
NOCO Splash
11.2023 - Current
- Work closely with the executive director to develop, and maintain a comprehensive fundraising plan
- Cultivate relationships with grant managers, board members and key stakeholders in the community
- Assess programs to ensure alignment with national trends in best practices for fostering Diversity, Equity, Inclusion
Director, Poudre Learning Center
Greeley-Evans School District 6
02.2023 - 02.2024
- Oversaw the alignment of an inclusive environmental education curriculum to the school district’s strategic plan for fostering cultural responsiveness
- Developed internal processes, including but not limited to, budgeting, planning, and organization resulting in greater efficiency among staff members
- Mediated conflicts between employees from different racial backgrounds, helping employees feeling heard, respected and willing to collaborate with each other
Program Coordinator, Office of Education Pathways and Outreach Initiatives
University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus
06.2018 - 01.2023
- Revised mission, vision and values statements to reflect program emphasis on culturally responsive approaches to education and health care
- Annually reviewed and revised curriculum to ensure alignment with student interests and learning styles, as well as current inclusive teaching practices
- Increased academic engagement and success among students by training instructors on using culturally responsive, trauma informed practices to develop materials, policies and teaching methods
- Cultivated effective working relationships with eight colleagues of varying levels ranging from program managers to the Vice Chancellor of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Community Engagement while collaborating on a successful application for a million dollar grant
- Trained student employees to create effective community building activities for students from underrepresented communities
- Increased student employee retention by an average of two years through implementing practices that improved relationships between staff members
- Mentored the Bioengineering Empowerment Program student leaders as they developed STEAM activities for K-12 students from underrepresented communities
Education Coordinator, TRiO Upward Bound
Metropolitan State University of Denver
06.2016 - 05.2018
- Researched and implemented teaching practices to best meet needs of diverse learners and learning styles
- Designed and taught an intergroup dialogue course on sexism that enhanced students critical thinking, communication, conflict resolution, and self reflection skills
- Introduced tools to collect and interpret feedback that informed decisions related to staff training and program development
- Collaborated with peers across departments, schools and colleges to develop working groups on anti-racism and challenging toxic masculinity
- Created evidence-based, culturally responsive lesson plans directly connected to students’ skills, interests, and goals
- Established relationships with high school students and undergraduate student employees from diverse backgrounds, based on trust, respect, and compassion
Graduate Programmatic Coordinator, Student Bridges
University of Massachusetts – Amherst
09.2014 - 05.2016
- Led teams of 25 student employees who implemented and improved initiatives that increased retention and recruitment of students of color from historically marginalized at the university
- Collaborated with undergraduate student employees to plan bi-monthly retreats and professional development opportunities that enhanced staff productivity, cohesion, and conflict resolution skills
Course Co-Instructor, Education 202: Exploring Social Issues in Intergroup Dialogue
University of Massachusetts – Amherst
- Co-facilitated a semester long intergroup dialogue course on individual, social and racism for a multiracial group of undergraduate students
- Provided meaningful feedback on students’ assignments that strengthened their self-reflection and critical thinking skills
- Designed activities and discussion questions that enhanced students' abilities to listen for understanding, withhold judgment, and identify assumptions while discussing racism
Course Instructor, Education 210: Social Diversity in Education
University of Massachusetts – Amherst
- Designed a syllabus that centered scholarship and perspectives of underrepresented groups
- Developed assignments that fostered critical reading, thinking, and dialogue about the intersections of gender, sexuality, race, class, religion, and ability
Education
Master of Arts, Social Justice Education -
University of Massachusetts – Amherst
Amherst, MABachelor of Arts, History -
Rutgers University
New Brunswick, NJSkills
- Assessment and Evaluation
- Conflict Mediation
- Student Engagement and Retention
- Instructional Design
- Facilitation
- Pro-active problem solving
Pronouns
THEY/THEM/THEIRS
Publications and Conference Presentations
Tawfik, B., Dancis, S., & Dueñas, A. (2022). Anatomy in Action: Incorporating 3D Printing in Pre-Collegiate Anatomy Education. International Journal of Designs for Learning, 13(2), 28-39.
“Expanding Healthcare Oriented Learning Through Making,” Nation of Makers Conference. Virtual, June 2022
“Centering Equity and Making in Interdisciplinary Curriculum Designed for Underrepresented High School
Students,” MakerEd:The Sixth Annual Maker Educator Convening. Virtual, October 2020
“Featured Talk: Beyond Inclusion: Making for Social Change,” Construct3D: 3D Printing and Digital
Fabrication in Education. Rice University, Houston,TX, February 2020
Timeline
Development Specialist -part Time Position
NOCO Splash
11.2023 - Current
Director, Poudre Learning Center
Greeley-Evans School District 6
02.2023 - 02.2024
Program Coordinator, Office of Education Pathways and Outreach Initiatives
University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus
06.2018 - 01.2023
Education Coordinator, TRiO Upward Bound
Metropolitan State University of Denver
06.2016 - 05.2018
Graduate Programmatic Coordinator, Student Bridges
University of Massachusetts – Amherst
09.2014 - 05.2016
Course Co-Instructor, Education 202: Exploring Social Issues in Intergroup Dialogue
University of Massachusetts – Amherst
Course Instructor, Education 210: Social Diversity in Education
University of Massachusetts – Amherst
Master of Arts, Social Justice Education -
University of Massachusetts – Amherst
Bachelor of Arts, History -
Rutgers University
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