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Dr. Dombek began her teaching career in her home state of West Virginia where, over a period of 9 years, she held various teaching and administrative positions including elementary school principal, central office administrator, dean of students, and classroom teacher in both the elementary and middle school settings.
Dr. Dombek moved into higher education in the fall of 2004 where she worked in an education program for 17 years, helping to prepare teacher candidates. She began her time in the education program at St. Bonaventure in the fall of 2021.
Dr. Dombek believes in the philosophy that no two students are the same; therefore, no one teaching approach works for all students. She also believes that to be a successful teacher one has to concentrate on relationship building with students. That relationship must be built on trust and a sense of mutual respect.
Dr. Dombek’s research interests include the use of therapy dogs in public and higher education settings, the role of emotional intelligence in determining success in teacher candidates, and engagement strategies for students in higher education.
Dr. Dombek is a member of several boards and advising councils in her community. She enjoys gardening and reading. Most of her spare time, however, is taken up working with her dog, Ellie, who is a certified therapy dog and participates in many types of dog sports.