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Part-Time Faculty Excellence Award

Award Description

The Part-Time Faculty Excellence Award (previously named the Adjunct Faculty Excellence Award) was created by College Senate in 2015 to honor outstanding part-time faculty who demonstrate excellence at Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­, in their profession, and in the community. A committee of full-time faculty led by the College Senate Presiding Officer evaluates nominees and selects up to three winners annually.

Award Criteria

The award is open to part-time faculty who have taught at Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­ for no less than four semesters, have taught one or more courses in the academic year in which the award is given, and have not received the award in the past five years.

Nomination and Application Process

Part-time faculty can be nominated by the department chair, program director, coordinator, or a full-time faculty member. No more than one part-time faculty member can be nominated by each nominator. Nominations take place during the fall semester, with exact dates publicized in September. Nominations should be sent to the College Senate Presiding Officer.

Nominees will then be asked to submit a portfolio of required and optional documents early in the spring semester for evaluation.

Award Review Process

Committee Structure

The process for determining the award recipients will be conducted by a committee chaired by the College Senate Presiding Officer and one full-time faculty member from each of the following areas:

  • CTE (excluding Health Sciences)
  • Health Sciences
  • Liberal Arts and Sciences (LAS)  
  • Business, Library Science, Adult Education, or Zoo Technology 

Selection Process

After the fall deadline, the Award Committee will review the candidate's portfolio and may select recipients to be interviewed.
The part-time faculty chosen to receive the award can come from any discipline or program. Deliberations of the committee will remain confidential.

Selection Criteria  

The committee will use the following criteria in making its selections:

  • The candidate should show dedication to serving the college, the profession, and/or the community.
  • The teaching philosophy should align with Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­â€™s student-centered ideals but with nuance and fresh insight.
  • The sample assignment should be transparent; cultivate critical thinking and, perhaps, creative thinking and self-examination; and demonstrate a desire to push students beyond their perceived capabilities.

Past Winners

2018-19

  • Stacey Breheny (Fine Arts - Visual Arts)
  • Karen Jones (Humanities & Foreign Languages - Spanish)
  • Ann Thebaut (Humanities & Foreign Languages - Philosophy)

2019-20

  • Stephen Fooks (Mathematics)
  • Rebecca Johnston (English)

2020-21

  • Amy Dautel (Institute of Public Safety - Emergency Medical Services)
  • Lanier Harper-Dickson (English)

2021-23*

  • Brooke Downs (Student Development & Leadership)
  • Jennifer Hunt (Business Programs - Accounting)
  • Melanie Walls (Mathematics)

*As the award transitioned from being presented at Fall Convocation to Spring Professional Development Day, this award spans both academic years.

2023-24

  • Herman Ramos (Fine Arts & Entertainment Technology - Dance)
  • Lee Starling (Business Programs - Health Information Technology)

2024-25

  • Kate Murray (Fine Arts & Entertainment Technology - Visual Arts)
  • Paul Sheets (Institute of Public Safety - Emergency Medical Services)
  • Lisa Wattenbarger (Allied Health - Dental Programs)

2025-26

  • Abby Elliott (Allied Health - Cardiovascular Technology)
  • Ryan Hecker (Fine Arts & Entertainment Technology - Music)
  • La'Shondra Johnson (Business Programs - Supervision and Organizational Management)