Shannon Lance (MA), psychology instructor at Front Range Community College’s Westminster campus, is the college’s instructor of the year.
She was honored at a meeting of the State Board for Community Colleges and Occupational Education this month.
Lance has been teaching at FRCC—both on campus and online—since 2012. She enjoys teaching her psychology students, but also enjoys learning alongside them. She loves integrating science into her psychology subject matter, and navigating new content with her classes. She relishes those “whoa” moments when her students start to understand a new concept.
Before FRCC, she taught at CU-Denver (where she did her master’s degree in psychology with a clinical focus), as well as at CSU (where she earned her bachelor’s degree). She initially thought she would go into counseling—but based on her graduate experience, discovered that her interests truly lie in teaching and research.
Her classes are strongly student driven—based on the class’ interests and unique perspectives. Students praise her use of technology when teaching: “She uses interactive polls, games and discussions to really get the class involved in the topic—and to think about the big picture.” And she seems to truly delight in the fresh ideas and new angles that every student brings through her door.
“It’s because of employees like Shannon that our students have such positive experiences on their educational journey,” said Cathy Pellish, vice president of the Westminster campus. “This is a well-deserved recognition of all her hard work.”
About Front Range Community College
FRCC offers nearly 100 degree and certificate programs from locations in Boulder County, Larimer County, Westminster, and Brighton, and online. FRCC is a member of the Colorado Community College System.
About the Colorado Community College System
The Colorado Community College System (CCCS) is the state’s largest system of higher education, serving 137,000 students annually at 13 colleges and 39 locations across Colorado. Our open access mission ensures all Coloradans who aspire to enrich their lives have access to quality higher education opportunities. The System Office provides leadership, advocacy and support to the colleges under the direction of the State Board for Community Colleges and Occupational Education (SBCCOE).
