The American Association of Community Colleges’ (AACC) annual Awards of Excellence underscore the association’s priorities and bring national visibility to promising practices among its member colleges.
Winners will be announced at the Awards of Excellence Gala on April 8 during the AACC Annual April 5-9 in Louisville, Kentucky. (Be sure to register for the convention.)
This year’s Awards of Excellence categories and finalists are:
Advancing Institutional Equity and Belonging
- Middlesex Community College (Massachusetts), Philip Sisson, president
- Delta College (Michigan), Mike Gavin, president
- Hudson County Community College (New Jersey), Christopher Reber, president
- Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College, Mary Graham, president
- MiraCosta College (California), Sunita Cooke, superintendent/president
Exemplary CEO/Board Relationship
- North Central State College (Ohio), Dorey Diab, president
- Community College of Baltimore County (Maryland), Sandra Kurtinitis, president
- Southeast Community College (Nebraska), Paul Illich, president
Outstanding College/Corporate Partnership
- Montgomery College (Maryland), Jermaine Williams, president
- Florida State College at Jacksonville, John Avendano, president
- Ivy Tech Community College (Indiana), Sue Ellspermann, president
- San Jacinto College District (Texas), Brenda Hellyer, chancellor
- Wayne Community College (North Carolina), Patty Pfeiffer, president
Community College Safety Planning and Leadership
- Miami Dade College (Florida), Madeline Pumariega, president
- Clark State College (Ohio), Jo Alice Blondin, president
- Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College, Mary Graham, president
Faculty Innovation
- James Funai, assistant professor, plant science technology, Cuyahoga Community College (Ohio)
- Heather Satrom, English language for academic purposes instructor, Montgomery College (Maryland)
- Jeremiah Teipen, professor/coordinator, computer arts and digital art and design, Hudson County Community College (New Jersey)
Student Success
- Hudson County Community College (New Jersey), Christopher Reber, president
- Northern Virginia Community College, Anne M.Kress, president
- Reading Area Community College (Pennsylvania), Susan Looney, president
Rising Star – Executive
- Tamika Bybee, associate vice president for enrollment services, Howard Community College (Maryland)
- Tracy Kruse, vice president of development and external affairs, Northeast Community College (Nebraska)
- Scott Peska, assistant provost, Waubonsee Community College (Illinois)
Rising Star – Manager
- Matthew LaBrake, executive director, Center for Online Learning, Hudson County Community College (New Jersey)
- Julie Phillips, director of development, Holyoke Community College (Massachusetts)
- Charles (Ridge) Schuyler III, dean, community self-sufficiency programs, Piedmont Virginia Community College
- Sonia Watson, dean of adjunct faculty support, College of DuPage (Illinois)
Faculty Member of the Year
- Marie Etienne, Miami Dade College (Florida)
- Clive Li, Hudson County Community College (New Jersey)
- Indigo Eriksen, Northern Virginia Community College
Trustee of the Year
- Dorothy Blakeslee, Bergen Community College (New Jersey)
- Eugene Lamb, Jr., Tallahassee Community College (Florida)
- William Netchert, Hudson County Community College (New Jersey)
CEO of the Year
- Paul Carlsen, Lakeshore Technical College (Wisconsin)
- Dorey Diab, North Central State College (Ohio)
- Zachary Hodges, Houston Community College-Northwest (Texas)
- Jim Murdaugh, Tallahassee Community College (Florida)
- Phil Neal, Southcentral Kentucky Community and Technical College
- Christopher Reber, Hudson County Community College (New Jersey)
