CTE Staff
As the CTE鈥檚 Executive Director, Dr. Stacy Grooters champions teaching at Boston College, driving campus conversations about teaching excellence and advocating for a strong culture of reflective, inclusive, evidence-based teaching at the University. She provides strategic leadership for the Center for Teaching Excellence, ensuring that the CTE鈥檚 programs and services align with faculty needs and are responsive to campus priorities.
Stacy gained her first experience in the classroom teaching English to secondary school students as a Peace Corps volunteer in Bayanhongor, Mongolia, a small town on the northern edge of the Gobi Desert. She went on to pursue an MA in English from Miami University in Oxford, OH and a PhD in English (with a concentration in Women Studies) from the University of Washington, where she taught in the departments of English, Ethnic Studies, and Women鈥檚 Studies. At UW, she also worked as an Assistant Director in the Expository Writing Program and an instructional consultant in the Center for Instructional Development and Research.
In 2007, Stacy joined Stonehill College as the Founding Director of their Center for Teaching and Learning, where she also oversaw the establishment of the Office of Community-Based Learning. She taught as an Assistant Professor in the English department and was Co-Director of the Gender & Sexuality Studies program. She also chaired the Provost鈥檚 Advisory Committee on Diversity for three years. In 2015, Stacy was hired as the Director of Faculty Programs for 蜜桃传媒鈥檚 newly established Center for Teaching Excellence and was then named Interim Director of the CTE in 2019. She was promoted to Executive Director in 2020.
Stacy is an active member of the , the national organization of teaching centers, where she has twice served on POD's Board of Directors and was elected POD President for 2023-2024. Her research focuses on the ways that commitments to diversity, equity, and inclusion are practiced within the field of educational development. Her 2014 article, 鈥淭racking POD鈥檚 Engagement with Diversity,鈥� analyzes 35 years of POD conference sessions and journal articles to track changes in how questions of diversity have been taken up by the field. Her current project seeks to define what it means to be an 鈥渆quity-minded educational developer鈥� and identify the pathways that educational developers take towards growing an equity-minded practice.
Sarah Castricum
she/her
Associate Director
Teaching, Learning, and Technology
sarah.castricum@bc.edu
Collaborating with colleagues in and beyond the CTE, Sarah aims to support purposeful, equity minded use of educational technologies by instructors in the service of their intentions for student learning and formation.听 She coordinates development of the CTE鈥檚 tech focused programs and online resources, and works with Schools and Departments on offerings tailored to the technology needs of their faculty. She serves as CTE liaison to campus partners such as the Academic Technology Advisory Board and Faculty Technology Contacts.
Sarah holds a B.A. in History from the University of Durham, UK, an MA from Andover Newton Theological Seminary, and a PhD in Theology from Boston College.听 While completing her studies she began working in 蜜桃传媒鈥檚 Instructional Design and eTeaching Services as a Graduate Assistant. She joined the staff full time as an Instructional Designer in 2004, and has been at the Center since its beginning in 2014, holding the role of Assistant Director, Faculty Programs from 2019 to 2024. Sarah has taught Core courses in 蜜桃传媒鈥檚 Theology Department and co-taught a Cross-currents course on Mindfulness and Meditation. She has presented at gatherings of professional associations such as , on innovative uses of instructional technology at 蜜桃传媒.
Attentive to what she hears from 蜜桃传媒 faculty, informed by the research on college teaching, and in conversation with CTE and campus colleagues, Kim leads the Center鈥檚 teaching and course design support for faculty. Through programs, resources, and consultations, Kim invites faculty into a space of reflective, inclusive, and evidence-based teaching, finding ways to align classroom practices with pedagogical values while addressing concrete teaching challenges. Committed to a philosophy of taking students seriously when designing learning experiences, Kim is equally committed to supporting faculty as they find satisfaction 鈥� even joy 鈥� in their teaching on a sustainable schedule. She is honored to walk with faculty at all stages of their career as they ask new questions about their teaching, return to perennial quandaries, and seek community around teaching.听
Kim has taught Core courses in the 蜜桃传媒 Theology Department, staffed the campus Sexual Assault Network, and co-taught a course for graduate students on responsibly, compassionately responding to sexual assault disclosures in their role as future faculty. She holds a B.A. in Religious Studies and English Literature from Denison University and her M.T.S. from Boston College School of Theology and Ministry. She joined the CTE as a Graduate Assistant in 2015 and joined the Center as a full-time staff member in 2019.
Francesca is committed to supporting graduate students and postdoctoral scholars in their current teaching roles at 蜜桃传媒 and preparing them for future teaching roles in higher education. She strives to create programming that provide spaces for grad students and postdocs to reflect on their own teaching and learning experiences, engage in interdisciplinary conversations about teaching, and practice articulating an evidence-based, student-centered approach to teaching. In addition, she collaborates with departments and offices on campus to help support graduate student instruction and celebrate graduate student instructors.
On a national level, Francesca is actively involved in supporting graduate student development. From 2024-2027, she is serving as Co-Chair of the Graduate Student, Professional Student, & Postdoctoral Scholar Development Special Interest Group of the POD Network.
Francesca holds a B.A. in Hispanic Studies and Anthropology from Oberlin College, an M.A. in Mediterranean Studies from Middlebury College, and a Ph.D. in Romance Languages and Literatures 鈥� Italian from the University of Michigan. While at the University of Michigan, she worked at the Center for Research on Learning and Teaching as an Instructional Technology Graduate Teaching Consultant and workshop facilitator. At 蜜桃传媒, Francesca has taught college writing courses in the Woods College of Advancing Studies.
Nirmal Trivedi is Assistant Director for Teaching, Learning and Technology at the Center for Teaching Excellence (CTE) at Boston College. For the past 10 years, he has worked closely with faculty from various universities and institutions to improve teaching practices for students at the undergraduate level. A graduate of 蜜桃传媒鈥檚 English PhD program, Nirmal went on to teach at Georgia Tech where he led the university鈥檚 First-Year Seminar program for several years. He went on to lead Kennesaw State University鈥檚 award-winning First-Year Seminar program for five years, where he was awarded a national teaching award and received statewide recognition for curricular innovation.
Core to Nirmal鈥檚 approach is the assumption that students are willing and excited to learn from faculty that they trust. Building that trust takes time and patience as well as an awareness about the prior learning experiences of students.
As a researcher, he has a unique profile that integrates his work in the disciplines of English and American Studies with the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SOTL). As an American Studies scholar, he focuses on race and American imperialism, World Literature, and narratives of trauma in wartime. He has published in the Journal of Transnational American Studies, borderlands, and the Journal of Asian-American Studies.
As a SOTL scholar, he writes about improving retention and graduation rates through high-impact practices, which require applied, hands-on learning experiences and have positive 鈥渃ompensatory鈥� effects for students from historically underserved populations. He has published in eSource for College Transitions, Improve with Metacognition, and the Journal of Effective Teaching in Higher Education.
Graduate Assistants
Jo茫o Vitor Fonseca
听
Operations Coordinator
JV is originally from Brazil and is pursuing a Master of Science in Applied Economics at Boston College. He previously earned a Bachelor of Arts in Business Management from Boston College and an Associate of Science in Business Administration from Middlesex Community College.
Before joining the CTE, Jo茫o worked in strategy and operations, coordinating international educational and leadership programs involving students, universities, corporate partners, and speakers across Brazil, Australia, and the United States. His experience includes program management, event coordination, budget oversight, stakeholder communication, and the development of processes designed to help teams operate more efficiently.
At the CTE, Jo茫o supports the Center鈥檚 daily operations and helps coordinate the administrative processes that allow its programs and services to run smoothly. He is particularly interested in how thoughtful systems, clear communication, and effective collaboration can strengthen educational organizations and improve the experiences of the communities they serve.
Outside of work and graduate studies, Jo茫o enjoys snowboarding, running, photography, and exploring new places in and around Boston.
Gomathy Ganapathy
听
Graduate Programs Coordinator
Gomathy is a Ph.D. candidate in the Mathematics Department at Boston College. After finishing her B.Sc. and M.Sc in India, she moved to the United States in 2021 to pursue her Ph.D. at 蜜桃传媒. Her research is in the field of Algebraic Geometry. Her experience in the program has been very enriching,听albeit challenging at times. She is grateful for her peers, mentors and colleagues at 蜜桃传媒 who have helped her build the support system she needs.
Her interactions with the CTE have helped fuel her desire to make Math Education more accessible and inclusive. Teaching has been a crucial part of making her experience at 蜜桃传媒 fulfilling. She is excited to support the teaching community at 蜜桃传媒 through her role as the Graduate Programs Coordinator at the CTE. She hopes to contribute to the growth of graduate student instructors at 蜜桃传媒 and ensure the smooth running of the Teaching Development Programs.听
In her free time, she enjoys watching movies and spending quality time with friends and family.
Ken Haley
he/him
Research and Resources Assistant
Ken is currently in his third year of the English PhD at Boston College鈥檚 Morrisey College of Arts and Sciences. His research interests center around the gothic and horror genres and their shifting depictions of race and gender. He holds a BA and MA in English from Northeastern University.听听听听听听听听听听听
At the CTE, Ken works to support and aid instructors in the development of their courses and the various technological tools they may employ.
Shinjae Lee
听
Learning Technology Assistant
Shinjae studies in the field of comparative theology, with a focus on the intersections between Hinduism and Christianity. His research delves into themes such as Dharma, caste, and Dalits within the broader frameworks of society, politics, and religion. His goal is to explore ways in which Christianity and its theology can play a role in advocating for the rights and dignity of Dalits.
Originally from Seoul, Korea, Shinjae is a family man, married to Saerom and a devoted father to his two children, Sion and Theo. In his vocation, he serves as a pastor for the First United Methodist Church in North Andover. He extends his commitment to faith and education by serving as a Chaplain听in the Theology Department at Boston College.
Maria Eduarda Monteiro
听
Operations Coordinator
Maria is a first year graduate student in the School of Social Work at Boston College. After finishing her BS and BA in psychology and听criminology from the University of Florida in 2025, she moved to Boston to听continue her research career and eventually chose to further her education at 蜜桃传媒. Her specialization is in macro social work where she wishes to focus on policy development and advocacy to improve legal outcomes for victims of gender-based violence.
At the CTE, Maria听assists with the day-to-day operations of the Center by providing technical and administrative support. Outside of the CTE, she also hosts a community baking and social club, operates her own small business, and enjoys working out, making coffees, and crafting in her free time.
Stephen McNulty
he/him
Research Assistant (AI Focus)
Stephen McNulty is a Master of Theological Studies student at the Clough School of Theology and Ministry, where studies the Second Vatican Council, synodality, and LGBTQ+ inclusion in Catholic settings. His writing on these subjects and more has appeared in Commonweal, America, and the National Catholic Reporter. He holds a B.A. from Yale University, where he majored in Political Science and Religious Studies.
At the CTE, Stephen is a Graduate Research Assistant with an AI Focus, and helps the CTE design and build resources for students and faculty navigating humanistic education amid the rapid rise of AI.
In his free time, Stephen enjoys singing, finding new coffee shops in the city, and taking exorbitantly long walks.听
Paulinus Emeka Nweke
听
Faculty Programs Coordinator
A Nigerian by birth and Catholic Clergy by vocation, Paulinus holds
bachelor鈥檚 degrees in philosophy and Theology obtained from the
University of Ibadan, Nigeria, and Pontifical Urban University, Rome
respectively. He has also undertaken graduate programs in Education and Theology. Currently, he is pursuing a License in Sacred Theology at
Boston College School of Theology and Ministry. Prior to his studies in Boston College, Paulinus worked as a Pastor, an administrator, an educator, and a hospital chaplain.
At the CTE, Paulinus assists in the coordination of the office operations 鈥搒pecifically, the management of the office emails, phone, and other roles that facilitate the smooth running of the office. Working at CTE has been exciting as it offers him the needed space to hone his skills and nurture his passions.Paulinus loves to teach, read, listen to news, and play volleyball.
Ania Piecuch
听
Learning Technology Assistant
Ania Piecuch is a Ph.D. candidate in the History Department at Boston College. Her research broadly centers on US-UK foreign relations during the Cold War, examined through the lens of American and British policies toward East and Southeast Asia. In particular, she focuses on Anglo-American relations with China and China's entry into the United Nations. Ania received her MA in Contemporary British History from King鈥檚 College London and her BA in History with Honors and Communication Arts from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
As a Learning Technology Assistant at the CTE, Ania works to support instructors in integrating educational technologies into their teaching through individual consultations and workshops.
In her spare time, Ania enjoys taking dance classes, trying out new restaurants all around Boston, and learning Chinese.