With a strong personal interest and background in the medical profession, Virginia Fasulo first began teaching through the American Cancer Society before moving into teaching in the classroom. Fasulo focuses on strengthening career pathways for her students at Lodi High School, with an emphasis on medicine, where she teaches 10th - 12th graders Pre-Med Survey, Dynamics of Healthcare and AP Anatomy in the summer. Instrumental in creating the Pre-Med and Agriculture curriculum, Fasulo’s students maintain a chicken habitat in an urban setting, which she takes care of during summers and holidays, and uses to reinforce the connection between environment and animals. With a focus on hands-on, student-led and inquiry-based instruction, part of her classroom is set up as a hospital room with mannequins and 3D software to diagnose them, as well as exercise equipment for exercise science. She organizes various field trips for students, in person and over Zoom, to connect them with their potential career paths, including opportunities to observe surgeries, as well as CPR and Stop the Bleed emergency first-aid training. Students report choosing careers in these fields as a result of her influence.
Fasulo leads Lodi’s biology and astrophysics clubs, a pre-med club, and a HOSA - Future Health Professionals chapter, all with increased participation under her guidance. She is deeply invested in helping students and her colleagues grow and flourish, as she leads department professional development, and is active in the development of both curriculum and new teachers.
Fasulo earned a Bachelor of Science in biology from State University of New York at Albany in 2006, a Master of Public Health in epidemiology from SUNY Albany School of Public Health in 2010, and a Master of Arts in teaching from William Paterson University in 2015.
Press release: Milken Family Foundation Surprises Lodi High School Teacher with Prestigious $25,000 Award
