Title: Adjunct Lecturer
Department: Paul H. Cook Department of Information Systems & Statistics
Years teaching: 2 years of teaching in New York, teaching/training experience from multiple jobs, and TA experience from grad school.
Courses taught: Systems Analysis and Design (at both Undergraduate and Graduate levels)
Teaching modality: I’ve taught online, hybrid synchronous, and fully in person classes. Working on developing modules for hybrid asynchronous next!
Typical class size: 30
Why do you embed career readiness into your course(s)?
Honestly, it just makes sense for the students and the classroom. Many of them are here to grow their careers, land a specific job, or take that next step professionally. And while learning theory is important, it only really clicks when they know how to apply it. That’s something I think about a lot, not just as a professor, but also in my day job as COO of Adro, where we help international students and workers navigate real financial challenges in the U.S. I see firsthand how practical skills can make a real difference. In class, I’ve seen students use what I’ve covered to raise funds, win scholarships, and land jobs. When students tell me they’ve used classwork in an interview or on the job, that’s the best kind of feedback. It reminds me why this approach matters.
How are you currently embedding career readiness into your course(s)?
I think career readiness really starts with how I design the course itself. From the structure to the content, everything is built to reflect what students will actually experience in the workplace. I update my slides and teaching notes every week to include fresh, real-world examples, especially now, with how quickly things are evolving across industries and with the proliferation of AI tools. A lot of my stories come from my current experience in the startup world, and past roles at Amazon and Epic. It’s important that what students see in class is up-to-date and relevant and usable now. I incorporate tools like Lucid, Figma, Jira, Retroboard, and Asana into projects and class activities – platforms that they might not typically get exposure to in school, but will definitely encounter in tech or software development roles. My goal is for students to not only be familiar with these tools, but to feel confident adding them to their resumes and to be able to talk about that in a job or internship interview.
What teaching tools and/or resources do you recommend faculty utilize when embedding career readiness into their curriculum?
Brightspace is a great starting point. It’s flexible enough to build out interactive modules and assignments. But I always encourage looking beyond the platform. Think about the tools that are being used in the industries your students want to join. At the start of each semester, I ask my students about their goals and what they’re hoping to get out of the course. When I hear what they’re aiming for, I try to align the class with those ambitions and bring in speakers or examples that relate to their aspirations.
What’s the best advice about teaching you’ve ever received?
Most of my education happened in New York State, where I had some incredible teachers from childhood through graduate school. They not only understood how to teach, but they also made their teaching style transparent so we could see the methods behind it. One thing that has always been particularly memorable about the best teachers I’ve had was their use of humor. I think humor is an underrated teaching tool. It helps break down barriers, especially in diverse classrooms where students come from wildly different backgrounds, industries, and sometimes even generations. I always try to bring a little levity into the classroom, whether that’s a well-timed meme, a visual pun on a slide, or a funny but meaningful story. Those moments of connection can go a long way in helping students feel engaged, especially in evening classes.
What advice would you give to a faculty member who is hesitant to take a career-focused pedagogical approach to their teaching?
You don’t have to completely overhaul your course to start making it more career-focused. Sometimes it’s as simple as inviting a guest speaker, someone who can share some real-world perspective and advice. That small step can spark a lot of value for students. I’ve built a bank of speakers over time, and I often record parts of those conversations or take notes so I can reuse those insights in future classes. You can reference a quote, share a short clip, or build a quick activity around it. It’s really about finding small, meaningful ways to bridge the gap between theory and practice. You can tap into resources like the Starr Career Development Center (Starr), former students, or even your own professional network to bring in voices that help students connect classroom learning to real-world skills.
What advice would you give to a faculty member whose primary concern in adopting a career-focused pedagogical approach is lack of resources?
I’d say to start by using the resources that already exist. Starr has put together a ton of helpful materials. I recently took part in their weekly webinar series on career-focused pedagogy, and it was a great space to learn what CUNY already offers. But even more than that, it was helpful to hear from other faculty who were also figuring things out and making changes in their own courses. It wasn’t a huge time commitment, but it gave me new ideas and made me feel more supported. So if you’re not sure where to begin, that’s a great first step.
How would you best describe your teaching style?
If you ask my students, they’d probably say energetic and maybe a little unexpected. I try to make every class as engaging as possible, even when the content isn’t naturally exciting. It’s my personal challenge: how do I compete with phones, laptops, notifications, and everything else on students’ minds or in their hands? I approach each session like I’m on stage, borrowing techniques from improv and stand-up comedy, especially when it comes to presence, pacing, and keeping the room involved. I like to keep things dynamic, lively, and fun, while still making sure the core ideas come across clearly. And honestly, I just enjoy being in the classroom and finding creative ways to connect.
Tell us about a teaching “win” you’ve had and the context in which it happened.
Some of my biggest wins have come from hearing how students use what we cover in class out in the real world. One student used what they learned to create a structured business plan that enabled them to raise $15,000 for a charity project. Another took concepts from our systems analysis and design course and applied them at work to help modernize their company’s product. Moments like that, when students tell me, “Hey, I used that, and it actually worked!” are what make teaching so rewarding. That’s what keeps me coming back.
What is something you are currently focused on improving or changing in your teaching?
Right now, I’m really focused on keeping my course content as current and relevant as possible. Before every class, I review and update my materials to reflect what’s happening in the industry, especially with how fast technology and tools are evolving. It’s a balancing act between teaching the core frameworks that stay the same over time and making sure students are exposed to the latest trends, tools, and ways of working. I stay plugged into industry news, newsletters, and updates on emerging AI tools or development methodologies, and I try to bring those insights into the classroom. It’s a constant process, but it’s one I’m committed to because I know how much it helps students feel prepared for what’s next.
What do you know now about teaching that you wish you knew when you were starting?
I’ve learned how important it is to provide students with a clear structure from the very beginning. The course content may evolve over the semester, but the overall roadmap should be solid and easy to follow. Today’s students expect well-documented materials—slides, guides, and resources they can revisit and apply beyond the classroom. And honestly, they’re right to expect that. With all the tools we have now, there’s really no reason not to make your course materials clear, accessible, and thoughtfully organized. I also keep a running list of articles, tools, or examples that I come across in daily life that could be useful in class. That habit has helped me stay current while making it easier to update content regularly and keep students engaged.
Briefly describe your favorite assignment or in-class activity.
One of my favorite assignments is the final project I give to prepare students for the CIS capstone course. I ask them to imagine the U.S. Census wants to build an app for information gathering. They create a business requirements document, a use case, wireframes, and then, most importantly, they get real feedback from people they don’t know. It’s still a simulation, with a few guardrails in place, but it’s very close to what you’d actually do in a product development role. Students often say they enjoyed it because they got to try out new tools and processes, and each team gets to focus on the parts that interest them most. Seeing them walk away with something they’ve truly learned and built is always rewarding.
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