Adjunct Professor of the Year

2023 Adjunct Professor of the Year

The 2023 Adjunct Professor of the Year is Richard Niezgoda , Instructor Biology!

Nature of the Award

The Adjunct Professor of the Year Award was established in 1990 to recognize outstanding adjunct faculty. Faculty members may not receive the Adjunct Professor of the Year award more than once every five years.

The recipient of the Adjunct Professor of the Year Award will be formally recognized at the annual college Staff Recognition Dinner (held in late spring).

Criterion for Award

Nominations submitted should describe how the nominee fulfills one or more of the ten criterion statements with specific examples when possible or applicable. Those criterion statements are as follows:

  • Effectiveness in the classroom.
  • Knowledge of subject matter.
  • Impact and involvement with students: in or outside the classroom.
  • Contribution to the college.
  • Contribution to curricula development.
  • Contributions to his or her discipline and profession.
  • Contributions to the community.
  • Personal characteristics contributing to excellence.
  • Effort toward self-development.
  • Evidence of distinction and achievement earned by former students.

Full-time and Adjunct Faculty members who are nominated for this award will be asked to respond to the following question: While at Moraine, how have you impacted students both in and outside of the classroom, enriched the college, and served the community? Participants can choose to have their response videotaped, create their own video, or prepare a narrated PowerPoint presentation. If nominated, additional details on the process will be sent to you.

Nomination Process

All adjunct faculty (teaching and non-teaching, credit and noncredit) who have taught 12 hours or have been employed two semesters at Moraine Valley Community College are eligible for this award. Generally, the nomination process begins in the fall semester and ends in February of the following spring term.

  • Any administrator, department chair, faculty member, and/or student may nominate a candidate for the award.
  • Student Nomination forms are made available college-wide;and may be obtained from the Center for Teaching and Learning.
  • Candidates nominated are screened (according to criteria) by members of the Adjunct Faculty Development Committee, who select a finalist.

Adjunct Professor of the Year Recipients

Previous Adjunct Professor of the Year Recipients

  • 2022: Kevin Murphy
  • 2021: Latifa Ali
  • 2020: Joan Grupka
  • 2019: Krystle Conrad
  • 2018: Peter Placas
  • 2017: Melissa Csoke
  • 2016: Dr. Jerry McNally
  • 2015: Dan Pal
  • 2014:  Dr. Jerry McNally
  • 2013:  Dawn Wrobel
  • 2012:  Abbas Jaffary
  • 2011:  Donna Guerin
  • 2010:  Angela Spyropoulos
  • 2009:  Mary Theresa Galka
  • 2008:  Dr. Annie Picard
  • 2007:  Jim Munz
  • 2006:  Dr. Peter Porter
  • 2005:  Robert Trach
  • 2004:  Rob Belin
  • 2003:  Jill Mack
  • 2002:  Enza Piech and Colette Schrank
  • 2001:  Carolyn Wassberg Manley
  • 2000:  Imelda Kaminski
  • 1999:  Theresa B. Lorenzini
  • 1998:  Bernard O’Reilly
  • 1997:  Nancy Lennon
  • 1996:  Brenda Ammerall
  • 1995:  Ken Spajer
  • 1994:  William J. Sullivan
  • 1993:  Pat Badten
  • 1992:  Natalie Murawski
  • 1991:  William Droel, Li-Mei Ku and Susan Phelan
  • 1990:  George “Deeks” Carroll, Sue Eade and Jane Hunt