The University of Michigan’s Residential College proudly celebrates Maria (Mabel) Rodriguez, Lecturer IV, for her outstanding contributions to teaching, student engagement, and community service. Rodriguez has been named a 2024-25 Collegiate Lecturer, a prestigious title awarded to select lecturers who demonstrate sustained excellence in teaching, service, and contributions to the university.
Rodriguez has made a profound impact on her students and the Michigan migrant community through her innovative pedagogical approaches and commitment to social justice. She founded and redesigned the Migrant Outreach and Education course, ensuring it meets evolving educational objectives while addressing the needs of migrant students. Her flexible teaching framework fosters in the RC's Spanish Program transparency and accommodates diverse learning styles, leading to measurable improvements in student performance, with score increases of 10%-15% in key language skills.
In addition to her instructional achievements, Rodriguez has co-authored a textbook on advanced Spanish composition and published articles highlighting her work with the Michigan migrant community. Her dedication to education has earned her multiple accolades, including three LSA Excellence in Education awards, a Michigan Campus Compact faculty award, and two Michigan Housing Honored Instructor awards.
Rodriguez is one of five University of Michigan lecturers recognized for their exceptional contributions to instruction and inclusive teaching this year. Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs Laurie McCauley announced the 2024-25 Collegiate Lecturers: Patrick Boland, Jennifer Metsker, Maria Rodriguez, and Ellen Poteet. The Universityawards up to four Collegiate Lecturer titles annually to lecturers II and IV who have demonstrated a sustained record of excellence in teaching and learning, service, or other significant contributions.
"Maria (Mabel) Rodriguez’s teaching and service contributions to the RC, wider LSA, and Ann Arbor migrant community, along with the innovations she has brought to the language classroom, make her highly deserving of this award’s recognition," said Professor Catherine Badgley, Director of the Residential College. "Mabel's long and extensive collaboration with the migrant community in Southeast Michigan exemplifies her excellence in offering service-based learning in a second language."
Rodriguez’s unwavering dedication to education, student success, and community engagement exemplifies the values of the Residential College and the University of Michigan.
We congratulate her on this well-deserved honor and look forward to her continued impact!
