Fullerton College announced its Faculty of the Year, Professor Catherine Reinhardt-Zacair on Thursday, Feb. 27. Reinhardt-Zacair, who is a part of the foreign languages department, teaches French. Reinhardt-Zacair was awarded her win during class and was presented with a bouquet of flowers and a box of chocolates.
“The process involves a call for volunteers from both the Faculty Senate and Student Senate to sit on the search committee.” said Elizabeth Flores, a student services specialist in an email to The Hornet. Nominees are required to submit a packet that includes an application along with letters of recommendations. “The committee then reviews and scores the packets using a specific rubric,” said Flores.
Reinhardt-Zacair’s academic journey to becoming a professor had many stops. She graduated from the University of Wisconsin with a teaching credential and a double major in French and German. She then attended graduate school at UCSB and received a masters degree there while also teaching as a teacher assistant to undergrads. Wanting to take a break before getting her PhD, she traveled to locations such as Guatemala teaching English for two years, and taught German in a German institute.
Reinhardt-Zacair came back to finish her PhD and while completing it she traveled to Paris and taught English at the University of Paris while completing her dissertation. After another two years, she finished her Doctorate and began her teaching career as a Professor at the University of Puerto Rico, where she taught French.
“I’ve had a lot of different types of teaching experiences which is what I really enjoyed, everybody’s really different and as a teacher you have to adapt and figure it out,” said Reinhardt-Zacair.
She then came back to the U.S. to teach as an adjunct faculty member moving to California, taking some time to raise her kids and finally applied to Fullerton College in 2015 where she has been teaching ever since.
“Education has always been a part of my life and I grew up with parents that were very educated. So I sort of knew I would go down this line, especially since I knew how to speak three languages,” said Reinhardt-Zacair.
She had been nominated for Faculty of the Year various times and went into this with doubt. “This would be the last time I would try for this,” said Reinhardt-Zacair. “And getting it was a surprise. a good surprise, it was fun – being recognized for the work you put in.”
Reinhardt-Zacair said she strives to ensure her students leave her class with a lasting impact. She aims to teach not just knowledge, but a way of life — a perspective that shapes how they see and engage with the world beyond learning the language. She said she wants her students to allow themselves to be immersive with the class.
“I have the privilege to be her embedded tutor and watch as she inspires and motivates other students to find opportunities abroad that are related to their field! I fell in love with learning and with teaching thanks to her.” said Kristelle Chatagneau in an email to The Hornet. “Madame Catherine helped me fall in love with learning again. Before I was in her class, I had little to no motivation and was simply going through the motions of school, but her class has inspired me to become a better student.”
Reinhardt-Zacair has also been nominated for the 2026 Orange County Teacher of the Year.
“I hope my students will remember having fun – enjoying and having a good time together as a group. Learning French and the culture, [and] the experience that they had,” said Reinhardt-Zacair.
