Katherine Holt

Katherine S. Holt

Adjunct Assistant Professor, Educational Theory  and Practice, COE

In her 24 years at MSU Billings, Kathy Holt has become an invaluable faculty member in the College of Education.

Holt began her teaching pursuit at George Fox College, graduating with a bachelor’s degree in Language Art Education in 1981. In the following years, Holt went on to receive a Master of Arts in Teaching from Lewis and Clark College. Before joining the MSUB community, Yamhill-Carlton High School and West Linn High School, both in Oregon, granted Holt her first positions as an English teacher. Her initial job in Billings was teaching English at Billings Adult and Community Education. Four years later she became an adjunct faculty member in the Department of English and the College of Education.

Throughout her time at MSUB, Holt has maintained this faculty position and also gained the role of Clinical Practice Coordinator in 2009. As Clinical Practice Coordinator, she is the conduit between area schools and MSUB’s student teachers, ensuring that the processes go smoothly for all involved and that the students get the valuable in-classroom teaching experience they need before venturing into teaching on their own.

“Ms. Holt is a highly valued member of our faculty” comments a fellow colleague. “She brings years of experience in both the K-12 and college setting and provides a wealth of pragmatic knowledge of challenges in the field to our department.”

Holt is credited for her adaptability in teaching a variety of courses while upholding the English Education Liaison position to improve the curriculum for students. Her success in teaching is highly recognized, but her continual dedication to provide quality student teaching opportunities amidst the COVID-19 pandemic is the exact attitude that exemplifies this award.

The uncertainty of the pandemic cast a shadow across the education system; however, Kathy maintained that attitude of “we are going to make this work.”

Her nominators spotlight her perseverance within the past year: “We honestly cannot think of any faculty member more worthy of a faculty award this year. It has been a privilege to work with Ms. Holt during the COVID-19 pandemic, and feedback from schools indicates the schools feel likewise.”