Bizarre Bio!

Eric Zuccola is an educator and artist who teaches International Baccalaureate (IB) Language and Literature, IB Theory of Knowledge, Journalism, and Film Study at Robbinsdale Cooper High School in the Robbinsdale Area School District near Minneapolis, Minnesota. Since first joining the school in 1999, Zuccola has served as advisor for Cooper’s student newspaper, “The Quill,” which has received numerous awards from the National Scholastic Press Association, the International Quill and Scroll Society, and Journalism Educators of Minnesota. Additionally, since 2004, Zuccola has been part of Cooper's athletics program as the head boys cross country coach and an assistant boys track coach. Zuccola's work as an educator and artist is rooted in his desire to help young adults develop their voices and find their passions within a framework of equity and social justice. As one of Zuccola's Cooper colleagues writes about his approach to teaching, "Eric’s commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion continue to be reflected in carefully-planned lessons that honor these values. Eric holds all students to high expectations and provides them with the scaffolding to do their best, inside and outside the classroom." In recognition of his achievements as an educator, Zuccola was named Teacher of the Year by the Robbinsdale Area School District in 2020 and a Minnesota Teacher of the Year finalist in 2022. After earning a bachelor's degree in journalism with minors in English and art from Ohio University, and a master's degree in American cultural studies with an emphasis in literature, film, and sociology from Purdue University, Zuccola completed the University of Minnesota's post-graduate teaching licensure program to first enter the teaching profession. In addition to his work in education, Zuccola is an accomplished artist whose work has been featured in multiple exhibits, including juried shows hosted by the National College Society, Twin Cities Collage Collective, Midwest Nice, MacRostie Art Center, Edge Center Gallery, Limner Gallery, Argyle Zebra Gallery, Vestige Concept Gallery, Calendula Gallery, Fresh Eye Gallery, Touchstone Gallery, Rum River Art Center, North Suburban Center for the Arts, No. 7 Center Gallery, and the Indianapolis Art Center, and solo shows at the Paradise Center for the Arts and the Waseca Art Center. Zuccola's work has also appeared in multiple publications, including the North Star Collage magazine and the National College Society's annual calendar. Additionally, Zuccola was recognized with the 2022 Fergus Ursprung Award for Excellence in Collage or Assemblage by the National Collage Society, won Honorable Mention at the MacRostie Art Center’s 31st Annual Juried Show in 2023, received a prize at the National Collage Society’s 39th Annual Juried Show in 2023, and was given a Juror’s Award of Distinction by the North Suburban Art Center in 2024. Outside of teaching and art, Zuccola enjoys music, writing, running, and spending time with his wife, his daughter, and a dog-adjacent mammal named Lexi.