Concordia Assistant Professor Shanna Opfer Receives Outstanding Teaching Award

Shanna Opfer, assistant professor of education, and elementary education director, was presented with the 2017 Outstanding Teaching Award at the university’s commencement ceremony May 6, 2017.

The honor is given to a full-time faculty member who has been nominated by students. A committee of students, as well as faculty members who have previously received the award, selects the recipient. The recipient’s name is not revealed until it is called during commencement. Student Senate president Zane Francescato and vice president Kristin Bartlett presented the award.

Opfer began teaching part-time at Concordia in the fall of 2005 and full-time in 2011. She teaches several core education classes that all students in the program take and also works directly with elementary education program students during their student teaching semester.

Prior to her appointment at Concordia, Opfer taught grades 4, 5 and 6 at Raymond Central Elementary School for six years.

Opfer earned both her master’s and bachelor’s degrees from Concordia University, Nebraska (explore.cune.edu).