Anne ColeAnne Cole

Instructor, Reading and Writing, City College

One individual can impact the life of a student and, in some cases, help determine their success or failure; for international students, failure means a return to their home countries and the end of their dream of receiving an American education. Anne Cole, for numerous international students, has been the individual who has helped them succeed in the MSU Billings classroom.

As one nominator noted, many international students coming to MSU Billings are first introduced to American pedagogy and the United States classroom format once they arrive on campus; many of those students begin their journey in the American university system in Cole’s reading or writing courses, where she is patient in building relationships with her students and helping them adopt a new style of learning.

Cole’s impact as an instructor often leads to a satisfied student who is ready to continue on their journey to higher education in a distant, strange land. Before the student gets to this point, though, they first must pass her class. Cole works tirelessly with the students both inside and outside the classroom and during her office hours to help them succeed. She challenges students to complete all assignments sufficiently to maintain fairness among all students; at the same time, she acknowledges when a student is struggling and addresses the issue in a timely manner either directly with the student, the student’s advisor, or the Office of International Studies.

Cole’s impact in the international community does not end at her classroom door. Cole is a familiar face at social functions, such as over Labor Day weekend, when she and her husband volunteered to drive international students from Billings to Yellowstone National Park. She also helps to build bridges between the Office of International Studies and the Billings community, which has helped support the extra-curricular needs of international students.

Cole is engaged, responsive, and communicative with her students and campus colleagues. Through the presentation of this award, according to a colleague, “she will join a select group of MSU Billings faculty who have made a difference in the academic and non-academic success of our international students.”