ALBUQUERQUE, NM, January 26, 2025 /24-7PressRelease/ — Nancy A. Wasser, PhD, has been included in Marquis Who’s Who. As in all Marquis Who’s Who biographical volumes, individuals profiled are selected on the basis of current reference value. Factors such as position, noteworthy accomplishments, visibility, and prominence in a field are all taken into account during the selection process.
Recognized for over 30 years of excellence in the field of education, Dr. Wasser served as a clinical faculty assistant professor at the University of New Mexico prior to her retirement in 2024. In this position, she acted as a liaison between the UNM College of Education and two local elementary schools, where she supervised student teachers and better prepared them to serve as talented educators in their own right. Working in both higher education and at the primary school level throughout much of her career, Dr. Wasser has long specialized in language, literacy and culture.
Initially serving as a teacher working with at-risk students in Santa Fe, New Mexico, between 1994 and 1998, Dr. Wasser went on to distinguish herself as a music teacher at Alvord Elementary School until 2000, whereupon she taught adult basic education at Santa Fe Community College until 2002. Following this period, she served as a mentor for Harvard Project Zero and the New Mexico Literacy Coalition, coordinated academic coursework at the Santa Fe High School Teen Parent Center, following which she taught all subjects in a dual language immersion program at Nava Elementary School. She then began teaching in higher education at New Mexico State University where she taught students studying to become teachers themselves. At that time, she also taught international graduate students studying English Language Arts teaching.
Over the following years, Dr. Wasser continued her work as a college instructor for the Department of Curriculum and Instruction at the University of New Mexico, and would later join the faculty staff at the Santa Fe University of Art and Design as well, where she designed and taught courses in academic English, with a particular eye toward integrating an artistic perspective. After serving during the summer of 2017 as a Language Arts teacher at the Desert Hills Treatment Center, where she taught students struggling with a variety of risk factors, she continued her role at UNM, from which she would eventually retire in 2024. Presently, Dr. Wasser hopes to continue her career as a curriculum consultant in the field of literacy and bilingual education.
Adjacent to her primary endeavors, Dr. Wasser is a prolific contributor to the field of education in the form of various articles, presentations, and books, including her most recent work, Narrative as Writing Pedagogy for Preservice Elementary Teachers: Giving Children and Teachers a Voice, which seeks to imbue teacher candidates with an awareness of their students cultural identities while remaining conscious of the diverse backgrounds of those around them. The book encourages language arts teachers to write personal narratives as a tool for teaching reading as well as writing skills. Additionally, she served as a research fellow in 2005 and 2006 at Yale University’s National Teachers Initiative, researching the teaching of language arts and mathematics through a cultural lens. Her work can be found on their website.
Well-regarded for both her contributions and innate talent as an educator, Dr. Wasser has been bestowed with numerous accolades, including the Donald C. Roush Scholarship for Graduate Students and the Sarah Harrison and Nicole Giorgio Social Justice and Teacher Education Endowed Scholarship at NMSU, as well as certificates of achievement and service from the New Mexico Coalition for Literacy and the Children’s Peace Statue Project.
Initially studying elementary and secondary education at the Santa Fe University of Art and Design, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts in 1978, Dr. Wasser later continued her academic path at NMSU, from which she received a Master of Arts in curriculum and instruction at NMSU in 2011 and a PhD in education, language, literacy and culture in 2014. To remain aware of developments in the field, she maintains her affiliation with the American Education Research Association and the International Center for Language Studies.
Outside of her work in education, Dr. Wasser hails from a rich background in music, having been a dedicated piano student and participant in regional performances with various artists. Passionate about singing, she has lent her voice to several choruses, including the prestigious Santa Fe Symphony Chorus.
In accounting for her overall success, Dr. Wasser credits her keen insight and perseverance in the face of any challenge. Looking ahead, she aims to expand her expertise in consulting and editing within the next five to 10 years, while continuing to develop her capabilities as a writer. Furthermore, as a profound believer in the importance of personalized instruction, Dr. Wasser remains concerned regarding the current trend toward standardized learning, having previously encountered students of all ages and backgrounds, each of whom had different learning requirements. Dr. Wasser maintains that she has never met a standardized student. Emphasizing the diverse linguistic and cultural heritage that many students hail from, she hopes to ensure that future leaders are equipped with the knowledge and skills they need to thrive in a rapidly changing world.
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