Cathy Newman Thomas knows that being a first-year assistant professor at a new university can be challenging, but she has found that a warm faculty has made her transition a smooth one.

Thomas brings with her a wealth of experiences holding a number of degrees in special education — earning her bachelor’s degree from San Diego State University; master’s degree from Montclair State University; and, recently, her PhD at The University of Texas at Austin before arriving at MU this fall. Thomas came to MU for the opportunity to work
at a university where she would have the good fortune to balance teaching, service, and research.

Her research focuses on technology, teacher education, adolescent literacy, and behavior management. Next spring, Thomas hopes to conduct a pair of studies: one, where she will follow students from her class into the field to see what information transfers to the classroom through observation and another study, which will focus on the effectiveness of instructional technology methods in teacher education.

Thomas teaches Inquiry into Learning II. The course covers content related to special education law, characteristics of disability, and behavior management for teachers and other professionals who will work in inclusive settings. “Dr. Thomas is a dedicated teacher, always working to make the class meaningful for the students,” said Melanie Taylor Drury, graduate student in early childhood education. “She has never hesitated spending time out of class helping me and other students better understand the assignments and material.”

Thomas has found a welcoming environment at MU connecting with her fellow faculty, both new and experienced veterans. “The faculty in my department are nationally known educators who are doing work that is related to areas that I am interested in. It just was a great fit,” Thomas said. “One of the big bonuses here, besides the fact that it’s such a warm faculty, is that it’s really a cohesive faculty. Two assistant professors in the College of Education started a writing group, and there are six of us who meet weekly,” Thomas said. “We set goals for ourselves, and once a month we get together for a whole day. We eat lunch and dinner together. We cook and we write, and then we critique each other’s work. We have this great support system.” Thomas admits that she felt it was almost fate that she was hired at MU because of a personal quirk, remarking, “I have Bengal cats and so they had to hire me! Truman has cousins!”