Education
PhD in Education, Capella University
MA in History, Salisbury University
MS in Deaf Education, McDaniel College
BA in History and Government, Gallaudet University
Staci Rensch, PhD
Lecturer
Contact Info
Areas of Expertise
Deaf Education (Elementary & Secondary), Social Studies Education, Literacy/Reading Specialist for Deaf and Hard of Hearing students, U.S. History, World History, Deaf History, Local Chesapeake Studies, Early Colonial America, Deaf Studies, Bilingual Education Approach, Multilingual Education Approach, 1st and 2nd language acquisitions, Language acquisition theories, Leadership theories, Leadership in Higher Education, qualitative research method.
Biography
Dr. Staci M. Rensch (she/her/hers) is a native of Maryland. She is a graduate of Maryland School for the Deaf in Frederick, Maryland, and Gallaudet University in DC, with a BA in History and Government. Dr. Staci later obtained a MS in Deaf Education from McDaniel College in Westminster, MD and a MA in History with a dual focus in Early Colonial America Period and Chesapeake Studies from Salisbury University, Salisbury, MD. Dr. Staci taught several subjects in the K-12 school system at the Pennsylvania School for the Deaf in Philadelphia, PA, and at a residential treatment facility in Florida. Dr. Staci also holds a Ph.D. in education specializing in leadership in higher education from Capella University, Minneapolis, MN. In addition to her degrees, Staci is also a certified Professional Life Coach and a trained literacy specialist for Deaf and Hard of Hearing students. Dr. Staci taught at McDaniel College and is currently a full-time Lecturer with the Deaf Studies Program at Towson University in Towson, Maryland. For fun, Dr. Staci loves learning and would be taking courses here and there. In her downtime, Staci enjoys reading, and watching British television series and movies.
Research Interests
History research interests: Deaf history, Deaf culture, local Chesapeake history and early Colonial American history with a focus on the women and the laws in the 17th and 18th century Delmarva region.
Education research interests: multilingual education approach, bilingual education approach, Deaf education, 1st and 2nd language acquisition, leadership theories, civic engagement and the Deaf community, diversity and inclusion in higher education, leadership in higher education, and leadership actions in addressing audism in higher education.
Current Research Projects
Best practices of service-learning partnerships between higher education and the Deaf community
Building Cultural Competence into the Deaf Studies Program (Resources Toolkit Project)
Women and the Laws in 17th and 18th Century Delmarva Region
Service
Service University
2022-2023 Diversity and Inclusion Faculty Fellow
2021- 2022 Service-Learning Faculty Fellow
Service Department
LLC Interim Library Liaison (2022-2023); FYE Advising (2022-present); DFST Assessment Coordinator (2023-present); DFST Internship Coordinator (2023-present); DFST 101 Coordinator (2021-present); DFST Major Advisor (2023-present); DFST Curriculum Coordinator (2023-present); DFST 2+2 Curriculum Coordinator (2023-present).