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An educator for 32 years, Downing returns to her alma mater after most recently serving as a staff development specialist for 21 Panhandle public school districts through Educational Service Unit 13. For the past six years, she also partnered with the Nebraska Department of Education as an educator effectiveness specialist while working with ESU 13.

Downing earned two degrees from CSC, a bachelor’s in elementary education, and a master’s in curriculum and instruction. She also has an assessment leadership endorsement and doctorate in educational administration and supervision from the University of Nebraska Lincoln. She earned a Nebraska Superintendent Certification a year before earning her doctorate.

Downing said she is eager to return to the institution that helped shape her career.

“What excites me most is coming back to a place that helped shape me and getting to support the work of the college from a different angle,” Downing said. “As someone who has spent my career in education, I really value the chance to help faculty and staff use assessment in ways that are practical and meaningful for students.”

According to Malinda Linegar, Associate Vice President with Institutional Effectiveness, Downing’s initial focus will be learning CSC’s academic assessment culture and processes, building relationships across campus, and collaborating with stakeholders to identify opportunities for improvement and support.

“The experience she gained as a classroom teacher, assessment and curriculum coordinator, teacher leader, and adjunct faculty member in higher education will bring a new perspective and wealth of knowledge to her role at CSC,” Linegar said

Downing said her role is focused on helping the college understand what is working well and where improvements can be made.

“It’s about looking at student learning, program results and services in a thoughtful way so we can make decisions based on evidence, not just assumptions,” she said.

Downing emphasized assessment is an important component of higher education because colleges must demonstrate that students are learning and that academic programs are meeting their goals.

“In today’s environment, assessment also connects closely with accreditation, since both are part of demonstrating quality, accountability and continuous improvement,” Downing said. “Assessment gives faculty and staff real information they can use when thinking about curriculum, student support and program planning. When that information is tied to accreditation expectations, it helps the college stay organized, intentional and focused on doing things well.”

She hopes her work will help strengthen both academic programs and student services.

“If assessment and accreditation can help us identify what is working, what needs attention and where we can improve, then students benefit from a better overall experience,” she said.

Downing acknowledged that assessment can sometimes be viewed as a reporting requirement, but she hopes to help campus stakeholders see its broader value.

“When assessment is used to reflect, adjust and improve, it becomes something that truly supports the institution,” she said. “Assessment and accreditation are really about helping the college stay strong, credible and student-centered. They are not just compliance tasks. They are about making sure we are living up to our mission and always looking for ways to do better.”

She added that the goal is not to create additional paperwork, but to ensure that the work already being done is documented and useful to the college community.

“My hope is to strengthen communication, consistency and follow-through, so assessment feels like a meaningful part of the college’s work,” Downing said. “I think a lot of assessment is already happening here, and part of my job is helping bring that work together in a more consistent, systematic way.”