Austin Community College congratulates the recipients of the following annual awards recognizing excellence in teaching and leadership.

“These accomplished and dedicated professionals bring so much to our ACC community,” says ACC President/CEO Dr. Richard Rhodes. “Through their leadership we are creating a richer, more dynamic learning experience.”

Recipients will be honored at the ACC awards dinner Thursday, April 14, at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Austin. Visit the Faculty Development website for details about the dinner; tickets are available through Marketplace.

ACC Teaching Excellence Award

Developmental Writing Professor Frank Cronin

Adjunct Professor of Photography Sean Perry

Recipients of ACC’s 2016 Teaching Excellence Award are Frank Cronin, professor of developmental writing and student development, and Sean Perry adjunct professor of photography.

The Teaching Award honors one full-time and one adjunct faculty member who promote special learning opportunities, student interaction, and innovation. Recipients are nominated by faculty, staff, and students and selected by an awards committee.

ACC Leadership awards

ACC Leadership Award recipients are selected for their strong leadership and their willingness to go above and beyond their job duties in serving the ACC community. They are:

• Classified Employee of the Year: Sean Loraas, accommodations assistant, Special Populations
• Professional-Technical Employee of the Year: Dianne Olla, supervisor, Instructional Support Services
• Administrator of the Year: Yolanda Chapa, dean of student services, South Austin Campus
• Faculty Leader of the Year: Tobin Quereau, professor of student development
• President’s Leadership Excellence award: Dr. Virginia Fraire, vice president Student Services

NISOD Excellence award

Front row, l-r: Meredith Denton-Hedrick, Sarah Wilson, Dianne Olla, Roberto Ybarra, and Ann Lucinda Palmer. Back row, l-r: Sean Loraas, James Friedrichsen III, Kurt Nalty, Yuko Kato, Glen Hunt, Richard Rhodes.

The following NISOD Excellence Award recipients were selected from the nominees for ACC teaching and leadership awards. NISOD (National Institute for Staff and Organizational Development) emphasizes the importance of teaching and leadership excellence in institutions of higher education. NISOD Award recipients will be recognized at the annual NISOD Conference in Austin in May.

• Meredith Denton-Hedrick, adjunct associate professor of geology
• James Friedrichsen III, professor of physics
• Glen Hunt, professor of government
• Yuko Kato, adjunct professor of Japanese
• Sean Loraas, Special Populations accommodations assistant
• Kurt Nalty, professor of electronics and applied technology
• Dianne Olla, supervisor, Instructional Support Services
• Ann Palmer, professor of developmental reading
• Sarah Wilson, adjunct professor of English
• Roberto Ybarra, adjunct professor of Spanish

Piper Professor nominee

History Professor David Lauterbach

Dr. David Lauderback, professor of history, is ACC’s nominee for the 2016 Piper Professor award for outstanding achievement by a college faculty member in Texas.

Lauderback has taught at ACC since 1996 and has served in his current role since 2006. He has worked with student groups including Phi Theta Kappa honor society, Student Government Association, and the Gay-Straight Alliance, and assisted at such annual events as the International Day of Peace conference, Texas Independence Day celebration, and the Constitution Day Debate. He received ACC’s Teaching Excellence award in 2012.

Piper professor nominees are chosen for their effectiveness in dealing with students, as well as their activities and service outside the classroom.

Given by the Minnie Stevens Piper Foundation, the annual Piper Professor award is given to 10 professors statewide. Recipients of the award, which includes a $5,000 honorarium, are named in the spring.

John and Suanne Roueche Excellence award

Sean Perry, Frank Cronin, David Lauderback, Tobin Quereau, Yolanda Chapa, Virginia Fraire, Richard Rhodes

The John & Suanne Roueche Excellence Award celebrates outstanding contributions and leadership by community college faculty and staff. Recipients are from institutions participating in the League for Innovation in the Community College and are recognized at several activities and events. Recipients are:

• Yolanda Chapa, dean of student services, South Austin Campus
• Frank Cronin, professor of developmental writing and student development
• Virginia Fraire, vice president, Student Services
• David Lauderback, professor of history
• Sean Perry, adjunct professor of photography
• Tobin Quereau, professor of student development

For more information about each of these awards and their criteria, visit ACC’s Awards & Recognition webpage.

Tags: nisod, teaching award, teaching excellence