English Senior Lecturer Wendy Erhardt is the recipient of the the Barnes & Noble Part-Time Faculty Teaching Excellence Award. Photo courtesy of Wendy Erhardt
English Senior Lecturer Wendy Erhardt prides herself on helping Montgomery County Community College students become better acclimated to the campus and all its vast offerings.
Erhardt, a part-time faculty member who primarily teaches English 101, introduces her students to the campus wellness center, help desk, tutoring services, and librarians. She requires each student to visit a tutor and meet with a librarian at least once.
The hope is that students will see how rewarding these offerings are and continue to use them.
“For me, establishing a really positive community – and building it with the students – is a priority,” she says. “I like to show them they are part of a bigger community at Montco.”
The instructor’s community building approach made the grade with students, who nominated her for the Barnes & Noble Part-Time Faculty Teaching Excellence Award. The student-nominated recognition celebrates adjunct faculty members who provide intellectually stimulating, accessible, and compassionate instruction. The award was announced and presented during the 2026 Commencement ceremonies on May 14.
Winning was a “happy surprise,” Erhardt says.
“My priority is to build connections with them and have them build connections with each other,” she notes. “The award was a recognition of those connections.”
Class of 2026 Montco graduate Vincent Nguyen says Professor Erhardt “made the biggest impact on me.” Beyond English 101, Vincent, a Liberal Studies (A.A.) major, stayed in touch with his professor and sought guidance from her with college admissions post-Montco.
“She’s the perfect example of why it’s so important to develop sincere and good relationships with your professors,” Nguyen says. “She was really the reason I got into my dream school.”
In their nomination forms, students shared numerous reasons that Erhardt was a Montco standout and well-deserving of the honor.
“Professor Erhardt creates a classroom environment where students feel welcomed, encouraged, and challenged to grow.” Students described her teaching as “engaging, thoughtful, and highly interactive,” emphasizing her meaningful feedback, approachable personality, and ability to make every student feel heard and valued. They also praised her compassion, encouragement, and commitment to supporting students both academically and personally.
Erhardt makes a point to check in with her students as they balance school, work and family life. She enjoys “building a community together as a class” and says getting to know each other benefits everyone.
“Everybody becomes more comfortable sharing their writing and offering feedback,” she says. “It is a thrill for me to see students grow more confident in their writing through the semester. Establishing a positive atmosphere encourages this process."
A Chester County native, Erhardt strives to extend the community she was welcomed into when she began teaching at Montco in 2010. She “made connections” beginning “literally the first day” with a professor across the hall from her who she still considers a best friend.
The professors she shares office space with are also part of her “big community” at Montco.
“Everyone’s really generous with their time,” she says. “Our office includes professors who teach a variety of classes, including math, business and public speaking, yet we all collaborate really well.”
Together, the professors share ideas – and food.
Before joining the community at Montco, Erhardt taught high school English through her 20s.
“I loved it,” she recalls. “It was great.”
But, with three young daughters at home, she sought a teaching career with more flexibility.
Similar to the “happy surprise” of winning the Barnes & Noble Part-Time Faculty Teaching Excellence Award, Erhardt did not initially set out to become a teacher. A West Chester University graduate, Wendy had planned to work in publishing but earned her teaching certification as well. After realizing how much she loved her student teaching experience, Wendy shifted gears to teaching jobs in the Lehigh Valley while earning her master’s degree from Kutztown University.
Her work at Montco provides the balance she sought while raising her young family. Now that her three daughters are grown, she and her husband Joe travel (most recently to Ireland), enjoy time in New York City, attend theater and spend time with their family.