Austin Community College District (ACC) congratulates the 2023 recipients of its annual Excellence in Teaching and Leadership Awards.
Leadership Awards
Recipients of the ACC Leadership Award are recognized for going above and beyond the duties listed in their job descriptions.
- Classified Employee of the Year: Minnie DuPlantis, Senior Administrative Assistant, Student Affairs
- Professional-Technical Employee of the Year: Charlene Buckley, Director, Office of Equal Opportunity Compliance
- Administrator of the Year: Linda Terry, Executive Dean, Admissions, Enrollment, and Completion
- Faculty Leader of the Year: Courtney Mlinar, Head Librarian, Library Services
- Chancellor’s Leadership Excellence Award Winners:
- Roland Hayes, Faculty, History
- Linda Morrison, Regional Director, Campus Operations
- Sally Samford, Round Rock Campus Tutor, Professional Nursing
Teaching Excellence Awards
The ACC Teaching Excellence Awards honor full-time and adjunct faculty who promote special learning opportunities, student interaction, depth/breadth of knowledge in a subject area, and innovation.
- Teaching Excellence Full-Time Faculty Award: Sima Sohrabi, Professor, Dental Hygiene
- Teaching Excellence Adjunct Faculty Award: Laura DiMeo, Adjunct Professor, Radio-Television-Film
NISOD Excellence Awards
Recipients of the National Institute for Organizational Development (NISOD) Excellence Award are recognized for doing extraordinary work on their campuses.
- Charles “Ben” Bernhard, Professor, Biology
- Christine Berni, Professor, English
- Charlene Buckley, Director, Office of Equal Opportunity Compliance
- Minnie DuPlantis, Senior Administrative Assistant, Student Affairs
- Scott Goyette, Adjunct Professor, Management
- Oralia B. Guerra, Adjunct Professor, Mathematics
- Jack O’Grady, Professor, Biology
- Colin Shanafelt, Adjunct Professor, English
- Pehr Smith, Adjunct Professor, Art
- Kissaou Tchedre, Professor, Biotechnology
- Anthony Vance, Professor, Mathematics
e-Faculty of the Year Award
This award recognizes an outstanding ACC Faculty member who has creatively incorporated Internet-based technologies to teach online and/or hybrid courses at ACC.
- Jack O’Grady, Professor, Biology
DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nursing Faculty
This award celebrates nursing faculty for their inspirational influence on the nurses of today and tomorrow.
- Jenna Laine, Professor, Professional Nursing
Piper Professor Nominee Award
The Piper Professor Nominee Award is a statewide award that recognizes outstanding full-time faculty in the teaching profession. Only ten professors in Texas are selected to receive this award each year.
- Cameron Addis, Professor, History
The League Excellence Awards (formerly Roueche Awards)
In recognition of the long tradition of excellence in community college teaching and leadership, the League Excellence Awards (formerly Roueche Awards) celebrate outstanding contributions and leadership by community college faculty and staff.
- Cameron Addis, Professor, History
- Laura DiMeo, Adjunct Professor, Radio-Television-Film
- Roland Hayes, Faculty, History
- Courtney Mlinar, Head Librarian, Library Services
- Linda Morrison, Regional Director, Campus Operations
- Sally Samford, Round Rock Campus Tutor, Professional Nursing
- Sima Sohrabi, Professor, Dental Hygiene
- Linda Terry, Executive Dean, Admissions, Enrollment, and Completion
Learn more about each of the awards at austincc.edu/awards.
All recipients will be honored at the ACC Awards Ceremony on Thursday, April 6.
For questions, please contact the Faculty and Instructional Development Office by phone at 512-223-7216 or email at [email protected].