Humanities & Arts Division:

Donna Bontatibus, Chair

Professor, English

Phone: 860-343-5802

Office Location: Snow 520

Dr. Bontatibus is dedicated to helping MxCC students build the crucial skills needed to ensure success in any field they choose. As chair of the Humanities Department at MxCC, Dr. Bontatibus knows the reading, writing, speaking and communications skills taught each semester are designed to serve each MxCC student throughout his or her entire life.

As a leader within her profession, Dr. Bontatibus has delivered regional and national presentations and lead workshops designed to enrich and engage other instructors. Her topics have included “Teaching Essentials 101,” “Creating College Success Learning Communities,” and “Writing across the Curriculum.” She has conducted workshops for the Connecticut Coalition of English Teachers, Literacy Volunteers of America, Cengage National College Success, Houghton Mifflin conferences, and the Connecticut Community College System.

Additionally, Dr. Bontatibus regularly attends different conferences and workshops on education, student success, and college success to improve her own teaching style, course development, and quality of teaching at MxCC. Among the prestigious events are the Academic Chair Leadership Institute sponsored by the American Council on Education, the Schwab Leadership Institute, the Connecticut Coalition of English Teachers conferences, and the Foundations of Excellence Summer Institute.

In the classroom, Dr. Bontatibus has taught many different English courses including Introduction to Writing, Composition, Technical Writing, and American Literature. Her publications include “On the Front Lines: A Practical Guide for Instructors of Developmental English” (Pearson, 2010), “Poetry in Freshman Seminar: A Lesson in Critical and Creative Thinking” (McGraw Hill, 2007), and “Forging Campus Links” (National Resource Center, 2005).

Dr. Bontatibus is the 2006 recipient of the Governor’s Service Award for the State of Connecticut, and the 2005 recipient of the Merit Recognition Award from Middlesex Community College. She earned her bachelor’s degree from Albertus Magnus College, her master’s degree from the University of Rhode Island, and her Ph.D. from the University of Rhode Island.