Rhonda Whitaker, Vice President for Community Relations for Duke Energy, gives the keynote address at the 31st Annual Celebration of Teaching.
On Monday, October 15, the Greater Cincinnati Collegiate Connection sponsored its 31st Annual Celebration of Teaching Luncheon at the James C. and Rachel M Votruba Student Union on the campus of Northern Kentucky University. For 31 years, GC3 has gathered the faculty award winners at its member institutions to honor them collectively for the great work they do in and out of the classroom. Monica Posey, President of Cincinnati State Technical and Community College and Steve Herbert, Associate Provost for Academic Affairs and Dean of the Graduate School at Xavier University presided over the event by introducing officials from each GC3 member who acknowledged their honoree. Dr. Posey, who also serves as the Chair of the GC3 Board of Trustees, welcomed the group and introduced Rabbi Jonathan Hecht, Dean of Hebrew Union College’s Cincinnati Campus, who gave the invocation.
Rhonda Whitaker, Vice President for Community Relations for Duke Energy presented a keynote address. Ms. Whitaker’s remarks highlighted the many ways the faculty at the colleges and universities throughout the region contribute to the talent pipeline available to businesses and how vital they are to the regional ecosystem.
Included in this year’s “class” of honorees are: Sarah Hollis, Art Academy of Cincinnati; Lonnie Griffith, Chatfield College; David Ray Cincinnati Christian University; Tom Burns and Stanislava Kantcheva, Cincinnati State Technical and Community College; Fares DaSilva, Gateway Community & Technical College; Beatrice Hodovanic, Good Samaritan College of Nursing and Health Science; Jennifer Grayson, Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion; A. John Bailer, Miami University; Michelle Lawrence, Barbara Oswald, Marianne Cotugno and Tom Mays, Miami University Regional Campuses; Lisa Crews, Mount St. Joseph University; Richard Bloss, Tracy Songer and Erin Strome, Northern Kentucky University; Lynnette Guzzino, Jodie Mader and Anthony Schumacher, Thomas More University; Anu Mitra, Union Institute & University; Trefor Bazett, Emily Houh, Gary Kelm, Deborah Meem, Janet Moore and Andy Villemez, University of Cincinnati; Brenda Reffaei, UC—Blue Ash College; Michael Goldcamp, Wilmington College; Morrie Mullins, Xavier University.
Each honoree received a certificate of appreciation and gift card for their dedication to their institution and students. Janet Piccirillo, GC3's Executive Director, stated "Somewhere along the way, we all had a teacher who made a difference for us. It is exciting to have a room full of award-winning teachers and celebrate them as a group. To have Rhonda Whitaker reinforce the impact these educators have on their communities and the region is important for them to hear and remember.”
The Greater Cincinnati Collegiate Connection is a non-profit alliance of 18 regionally accredited institutions which advocates for higher education and uses the collective strength of its institutional members to positively influence the value of higher learning in the Greater Cincinnati region. It promotes professional development and opportunities for collaborative learning to advance the effectiveness of all members.
For more information on the 31st Annual Celebration of Teaching or the Greater Cincinnati Collegiate Connection, contact Janet Piccirillo, Executive Director at piccirillj1@nku.edu or 859-392-2428.