University Core Honors Ignite Instructors
12/10/2024
Two Ignite Seminar instructors were honored with the 2024 Ignite Instructor of the Year Award.
Shannon Cooper-Sadlo, Ph.D. (Social Work), and Meadow Campbell, Ph.D. (Center for Anatomical Science and Education) were recognized for their work in teaching Ignite seminars. Cooper-Sadlo won for her Spring 2024 seminar entitled “Conversations with a Mom, but not Your Mom.” Campbell was the Fall 2024 winner for her seminar entitled “Dissecting a Timeline: Anatomy Through the Ages.”
Shannon Cooper-Sadlo, Ph.D. (Social Work), left, and Meadow Campbell, Ph.D. (Center for Anatomical Science and Education) were honored at the reception on Tuesday, Dec. 3, for their work in teaching Ignite seminars. Photo by Joe Barker.
The Ignite Seminars are part of SLU’s University Core program. The Ignite Seminars are designed to introduce students to what makes teaching and learning at SLU distinctive and transformative. These seminars strive to "ignite" first-year students’ sense of intellectual wonder and inspire curiosity about the world around them.
In presenting this year’s awards, Core Director Ellen Crowell, Ph.D., praised the work of all the Ignite instructors. Crowell said that the winners were selected from over 100 student nominations and 50 different instructors nominated.
The winners were selected by a committee and were honored at a reception on Tuesday, Dec. 3, at the historic Samuel Cupples House.
Cooper-Sadlo was praised by students for the way the class handled difficult conversations.
“She recognizes the challenges that many college students grapple with, from navigating grief and anxiety to understanding the complexities of love, relationships, and finding one's path in life,” a student wrote in their nomination. “Rather than shying away from these topics, she embraces them, creating a safe and supportive environment where students feel empowered to explore and share their experiences.”
Another student said Cooper-Sadlo’s seminar was a space where they never felt like the class was passively learning.
“With her guidance, we not only gain academic insights but also cultivate empathy, resilience, and a deeper understanding of ourselves and others,” the nominator wrote. “Dr. Cooper-Sadlo's impact extends far beyond the confines of the classroom, encouraging me and my classmates to reflect on the relationships and themes we go through in life.”
A student in Campbell’s seminar said the class helped reinforce that they were on the right track.
“I have wanted to do forensic pathology for a while now and this ignite seminar has done nothing but ignite passion in me and solidify my feeling that I am in the right field of work,” the student wrote. “I love learning about this topic and I am so grateful for the opportunity to take this class.”
Another student said Campbell’s teaching has had a major impact on how they view themselves and the world around them.
“Taking Dr. Campbell’s seminar has really encouraged me to appreciate the value that everyone's unique interpretations have,” the student wrote in their nomination. “Looking back through time at all of the different ways cultures throughout the world have developed has shown me how everyone's own perceptions and beliefs are valuable and allow the world to be a much more vibrant place. Being aware of this has allowed me to understand that I bring a unique aspect to SLU in and of myself and through being a person with their own experiences, as do all of the rest of my classmates.”
Other Finalists
In addition to Cooper-Sadlo and Campbell, the ceremony also recognized the 18 finalists from across the university.
The finalists who attended the 2024 Ignite Instructor of the Year reception on Tuesday, Dec. 3, gathered for a photo. Photo by Joe Barker.
Spring 2024 Finalists
- Amy E. Wright, Ph.D. (Languages, Literatures, and Cultures)
- Ajlina Karamechic-Maratovic, Ph.D. (Sociology and Anthropology)
- Carolyn O’Laughlin, Ph.D. (Education)
- Patricia Bass, Ph.D. (Jesuit Worldwide Leader)
Fall 2024 Finalists
- Martha Allen (Libraries and Museums)
- Bobby Wassel, Ph.D. (Center for Social Action)
- Abigail Jorgensen, Ph.D. (Sociology and Anthropology)
- Caitlin Stamm and Katie Mascari (Libraries and Museums)
- Allen Brizee, Ph.D. (English)
- Mary Maxfield, Ph.D. (Women's and Gender Studies)
- Ness Sandoval, Ph.D. (Sociology and Anthropology)
- Joan Hart-Hasler, Ph.D. (Theological Studies)
- Emily A. Phillips, Ph.D. (English)
- Filippo Marsili, Ph.D. (History)
- Jesse Helton, Ph.D. (Social Work)
- Leah Sweetman, Ph.D. (Center for Social Action)
- Mark Ruff, Ph.D. (History)
- Mitzi Brammer, Ph.D. (Speech, Language & Hearing Sciences)
Latest Newslink
- Helen De Cruz, Ph.D.: 1978-2025Helen De Cruz, Ph.D., the Danforth Chair in the Humanities at Saint Louis University, died Friday, June 20, 2025. She was 46. The Belgian-born philosopher examined why and how humans engage in pursuits that seem remote from the immediate concerns of survival and reproduction, such as theology, mathematics, and science.
- 'I am More Than Just a Refugee': A SLU Student Shares His StoryThe Saint Louis University-Jesuit Worldwide Learning (SLU-JWL) program offers remote bachelor's degrees to international students displaced by conflict, lack of opportunity, and poverty in places such as refugee camps in Kenya and Malawi. One student, Dictor Olame, reflected on his experience as a SLU student in the Kakuma refugee camp in North-Western Kenya.
- SLU Supports St. Louis by Hosting City's Tornado Relief CenterIn the weeks following a devastating tornado that tore through St. Louis on May 16, hundreds of households have turned to a centralized Disaster Assistance Center (DAC) at Chaifetz Arena for assistance.
- Persistence Pays Off for Fulbright Award RecipientAnuj Gandhi is a Fulbright Scholar. A year after being chosen as an alternate, Gandhi has been chosen for a Fulbright-Nehru Student Research Award. With the Award, the recent Saint Louis University graduate intends to "investigate how globalization-based acculturation influences Indian young adults' attitudes toward mental health and treatment options."
- Pestellos Honored With Honorary Street NameA stretch of Laclede Avenue that has undergone major development since President Fred P. Pestello, Ph.D., and First Lady Fran Pestello, Ph.D., arrived at Saint Louis University 11 years ago now has a new name.
- Disaster Assistance Center Opens to the Community in Response to the May 16 TornadoThe City of St. Louis, in partnership with the Missouri State Emergency Management Agency and Saint Louis University, opened a Disaster Assistance Center (DAC) on Monday, June 9, to serve as a central space for tornado-affected residents to connect with agencies offering guidance, resources, and assistance related to recovery and long-term support. The DAC will take place inside Chaifetz Arena.
