Nominated By: Marcy Forti ’22
Nomination: I have known Professor Theodosiou since my freshman year and can say with confidence that she has shaped my time at Union. She is a beloved member of the biology department and one of the smartest people I’ve ever met. She is a dedicated, passionate, and creative professor, and won the Stillman Prize for Excellence in Teaching last year. She also has a thriving developmental biology research lab on campus, studying embryonic intestinal development in the little skate. She is an excellent research advisor, and understands the importance of both guiding her students and letting them figure things out on their own. I want to recognize Professor Theodosiou because she works really hard to support her students in all areas of their personal and academic lives.

What are your proudest accomplishments?

Raising a family and having a successful career as a teacher-scholar are wins for me. Both are full time jobs. It’s always a struggle to maintain the right balance, but I’ve come to realize that it’s not either-or. There are times I need to focus on my research and trust that my kids are going to be OK if I’m not there for them every moment, and other times I have to be devoted to my family and accept that I am not going to be able to turn my grades around as quickly as I’d like to. My kids have also benefited from me being a faculty at Union. They have grown up in my research lab, attended my classes, and went on a term abroad to Australia with me. How many moms can give that to their kids? Pretty cool.

What are you passionate about?

I’m passionate about empowering my students to believe in themselves, pushing the boundaries of what they can do, and giving them the confidence to dream big.

Who do you look up to?

I have a sisterhood network that rocks!!! My sisterhood network is vast: from female faculty and staff, to the women in my family. They are all strong women who think clearly and have unique perspectives. Surrounding myself with these incredible women from different parts of my life keeps me going. We lift each other up!

What does being a woman at Union mean to you?

To me it means that I get to be part of a change movement at Union. If you look around campus and see where the boundaries are being pushed, where the exciting research or new learning opportunities are for students, there are always women working magic in those circles.

How do you think Union can do a better job at supporting women on our campus?

Union is a great place that offers so much to so many people. Like any long-standing institution, however, it has structures and traditions that no longer match up with who we are. We can begin by examining those structures and better aligning them with our values.