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Bergen Community College associate professor of education and academic department chair, Dr. Melissa Krieger, is passionate about working closely with students who are interested in becoming classroom teachers. Krieger engages in projects that support the development of a sense of belonging in non-traditional students and is particularly focused on guiding students who are also parents of young children.
“Whether advising students one-on-one or coordinating scholarship and transfer programs, I am able to directly facilitate students’ academic goals,” said Krieger. “I am grateful for the opportunity to work in a college that gives me so many ways to influence students’ success.”
Through her work in institutional outcomes assessment, Krieger provides guidance to faculty as they develop assessment projects that focus on student learning.
“With continuous learning opportunities offered to faculty, Bergen’s students have professors who are current in their disciplines and in the field of teaching,” said Krieger. “I appreciate that Bergen is a place that showcases ‘teachers as lifelong learners.’”
Krieger’s dissertation research project, which focused on faculty-student interaction through a meditation activity and students’ development of confidence, sense of belonging, and coping skills, was published in the Spring 2022 edition of the Journal of Applied Research in Community Colleges (JARCC). Krieger earned her doctorate degree in higher education leadership from Maryville University in 2022.
“Teaching provides the opportunity to serve others and serving others may be the secret to happiness,” said Krieger. “Teaching future teachers, I have the chance to illuminate their path and then pass them the torch. How lucky am I?”
Publications and Conference Presentations
To learn more about Krieger’s research, please see a list of her publications and conference presentations:
Krieger, M. and Coppersmith, S. (2024). Meditation and community college students’ self-efficacy, sense of belonging, and coping. Journal of Applied Research in the Community College (JARCC), (31)1, 137-155.
Krieger, M. (2024, March 3). Developing a sense of belonging in students who are parents. National Coalition for Campus Children’s Centers (4NC) Conference. New Orleans.
Krieger, M. (2022, April 28). Pipelines for teacher education candidates. Hudson County Community College’s Social Justice Symposium. https://www.hccc.edu/page/symposium-agenda.html
Krieger, M. (2022, May 2). Creating pipelines for future teachers. American Association of Community College (AACC) Annual Convention. New York City.
Krieger, M. (2022, May 30). More than relaxing: the influence of meditation. NISOD Conference. Austin. https://www.nisod.org/downloads/2022_Program_Web.pdf
Krieger, M. (Oct. 2022). Mindfulness meditation: a new best practice. Innovations. National Institute of Staff and Organizational Development (NISOD). https://www.nisod.org/tag/mindfulness/
Krieger, M. (2021, June 14). Equitable Outcomes for Community College Students. NAECTE Conference. https://naecte.org/wp-content/uploads/NAECTE-Summer-2021-Final-Program.pdf
Krieger, M. (Sept. 2021). Community college opens doors to a diverse teaching force. NJEA Review. https://www.njea.org/community-colleges-open-doors-to-a-diverse-teaching-force/Professional Conference Presentations
Based in Paramus, Bergen Community College (www.bergen.edu), a public two-year coeducational college, enrolls more than 13,000 students at locations in Paramus, the Philip Ciarco Jr. Learning Center in Hackensack and Bergen Community College at the Meadowlands in Lyndhurst. The College offers associate degree, certificate and continuing education programs in a variety of fields. More students graduate from Bergen than any other community college in the state.
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