I love the sciences and biology in particular. I was born to be a biologist and I think I was born to teach. I am amazed by the unity and diversity of life and the interplay of living things with the natural world. However, I recognize not everyone is enthralled with science. My job as a teacher is to help students learn about and appreciate my discipline, if not for its inherent value, then for its importance in the real world. Understanding science is essential in the modern world. Without sound, foundational knowledge in the sciences it is impossible to make educated decisions as global citizens. So while we may not all choose a STEM career, we must all learn about the natural principles that influence our globe, the future depends on it.
Science is best learned by doing. I think it is critical to student learning for students to be engaged in the classroom and in the field in learning about the discipline. Science is about getting your hands dirty, figuratively and sometimes literally. It is about trying something and figuring out why it worked or didn't work. As a teacher, I embrace engaged learning techniques. I try to serve as the facilitator and guide students to learning course content, not always an easy task, but always a challenge.
I earned a baccalaureate degrees in Biology and Geology from the University of Delaware. I attended the Pennsylvania State University where I earned a Master of Science degree in Microbiology. My doctorate in Horticulture was awarded by the University of Florida. I also earned a graduate certificate in Institutional Research from Florida State University
Throughout my career, I have worked primarily at access institutions. After graduate school, I started teaching as an adjunct at Broward Community College, now Broward College. BCC is an open-door institution. Students at Broward exhibit a wide range in academic preparedness. I enjoyed the challenge of teaching a subject I love even if there was some resistance. I was hired into a tenure track faculty line and learned that teaching is more than talking at students. Teaching is only teaching if students are learning. While at Broward I had the opportunity to learn more about teaching and to delve into other aspects of higher education. Grant writing was one activity I started while at Broward. I enjoyed the creativity of the process and the College and students benefitted from the successful awards we received. The College received more than half a million dollars in funding from the external agencies including the National Science Foundation and Hewlett Packard from grants which I wrote and on which I served as principal investigator. It was at Broward that I also began serving in administrative roles. I served as the biology program coordinator, the environmental science technology program manager, department chair for natural sciences and associate dean of biology. In 2008 I moved to Georgia to take the position of Science Chair at the Newton Campus of Georgia Perimeter College (now Georgia State University). After a number of years as Chair, I was asked to serve as Dean of Institutional Effectiveness. Institutional effectiveness and institutional were new areas for me requiring professional growth. I learned a lot and enjoyed this new area. In 2015, I moved back into academic affairs as the Dean of the School of Arts and Sciences at Gordon State College. I am enjoying working directly with faculty and students again and having slightly more time to work on grants. We currently have a USG STEM Initiative grant to develop a STEM Learning Center.
Return to Dr. Finazzo's webpage.
Return to Faculty credentials webpage.
Return to Gordon State College Home Page.