Contributed by ACC Teaching & Learning Excellence Division
Austin Community College District (ACC) proudly recognizes the outstanding faculty and staff who have demonstrated excellence in teaching, leadership, and service. Each year, the College hosts an awards celebration to honor teaching and leadership excellence award recipients.
These individuals were nominated by ACC students, faculty, and staff. Winners were selected through committee reviews using a rubric based on award criteria, except for the Chancellor’s Leadership Excellence Award, which was personally chosen by the Chancellor.
ACC extends heartfelt congratulations to all the awardees for their achievements and dedication to excellence. Their contributions play a pivotal role in shaping a thriving academic community that empowers students to succeed.
Front Row (left to right): Darlene Elder, Emi Schuster, Bernadette Hinterlong, Chancellor Russell Lowery-Hart. Row 2: Stephanie Long, Marcia Hill, Misty Campbell, Dr. Ursula A. Parker, Dr. Laura Marmolejo. Row 3: Felix Villarreal, Dr. Amber Kreischer, Jodi Oates, Kyle Nutter, Alison Thompson, Savannah Rugg. Row 4: Martha Soto, Mirosalva Zuñiga, Stefanie Vermillion, Dawson Williams, Dr. Jonathan Tyner, Ray Sandoval. Back Row: Sarah Lisenbe, Doralena Yanes, Christian Raymond, Lei Ji, Dr. David Fonken, Michelle Iskra. Not pictured: Laura Trellue.
The Leadership Awards
ACC celebrates outstanding staff who demonstrate strong leadership and have gone above and beyond the duties listed in their job description for the ACC community.
Faculty Leader of the Year: Stephanie Long – Associate Dean, Faculty Center for Learning Innovation (FCLI), Provost Office and Professor, Geographic Information Systems (GIS), DMC&AT
Administrator of the Year: Dr. Jonathan Tyner – Dean, Student Affairs
Classified Employee of the Year: Doralena Yanes – Executive Assistant, Student Affairs Operations
Professional-Technical Employee of the Year: Sarah Lisenbe – Director, Student Affairs Strategic Projects & Operations
Chancellor’s Leadership Excellence Awards
This award honors staff who demonstrate exceptional leadership and commitment to the ACC community:
- Misty Campbell – Coordinator, Continuing Education
- Darlene Elder – Administrative Assistant, Campus Management
- Dr. David Fonken – Dean, Science, Engineering and Mathematics Division
- Bernadette Hinterlong – Science Lab Technician, Biology
- Dr. Amber Kreischer – AVANCE to College Program Coordinator
- Dr. Laura Marmolejo – Dean, Advanced Manufacturing
- Kyle Nutter – Faculty, Welding
- Dr. Ursula A. Parker – Faculty, Integrated Reading & Writing (INRW)
- Stefanie Vermillion – Associate Director, Student Affairs Communication
- Mirosalva Zuniga – Director, Student Affairs Communication
Teaching Excellence Awards
The ACC Teaching Excellence Awards honor one full-time and one adjunct faculty member who promotes special learning opportunities, student interaction, depth/breadth of knowledge in a subject area, and innovation.
Top Teaching Excellence Award & League Excellence Award
- Marcia Hill – Faculty, Associate Degree Nursing
- Dr. Lei Ji – Faculty, Economics
NISOD Teaching Excellence
- Michelle Iskra – Faculty, Composition & Literary Studies
- Jodi Oates – Faculty, American Sign Language
- Christian Raymond – Faculty, Radio & Television & Film
- Savannah Rugg – Department Chair, Agricultural Sciences
- Ray Sandoval – Faculty, Student Development
- Emi Schuster – Faculty, World Languages
- Martha Soto – Faculty, Jewelry
- Dawson Williams – Faculty, Architectural & Engineering CAD
DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nursing Faculty
The DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nursing Faculty honors nursing faculty who inspire their students to remember that nursing is more than tasks and technology. The DAISY nurse faculty is one who ensures that both the art and science of nursing are brought to every patient experience. This award celebrates nursing faculty for their inspirational influence on the nurses of today and tomorrow.
- Alison Thompson – Faculty, Nursing
eFaculty of the Year Award
This award recognizes an outstanding ACC Faculty member who has creatively utilized appropriate Internet-based technologies to teach online and/or hybrid courses at ACC. The recipient must have designed and taught one or more online or hybrid courses with an imaginative approach, well-designed course materials, instructional strategies, and a demonstrated rapport with the course participants.
- Laura Trellue – Faculty INRW, CLS, Student Development
The Piper Professor Nominee Award
The Piper Professor Nominee Award is a statewide award that recognizes outstanding full-time faculty in the teaching profession.
- Felix Villarreal – Faculty, Biology
NISOD Excellence Awards
The National Institute for Staff and Organizational Development (NISOD) has emphasized the importance of teaching and leadership excellence in institutions of higher education.
- Sarah Lisenbe – Director, Student Affairs Strategic Projects & Operations
- Alison Thompson – Faculty, Nursing
- Laura Trellue – Faculty INRW, CLS, Student Development
- Doralena Yanes – Executive Assistant, Student Affairs Operations
The League Excellence Awards
In recognition of the long tradition of excellence in community college teaching and leadership, the League Excellence Awards (formerly Roueche Award) celebrate outstanding contributions and leadership by community college faculty and staff.
- Misty Campbell – Coordinator, Continuing Education
- Darlene Elder – Administrative Assistant, Campus Management
- Dr. David Fonken – Dean, Science, Engineering and Mathematics Division
- Marcia Hill – Faculty, Associate Degree Nursing
- Bernadette Hinterlong – Science Lab Technician, Biology
- Dr. Lei Ji – Faculty, Anthropology, Economics and Geology
- Dr. Amber Kreischer – AVANCE to College Program Coordinator
- Stephanie Long – Associate Dean, Faculty Center for Learning Innovation (FCLI), Provost Office and Professor, Geographic Information Systems (GIS), DMC&AT
- Dr. Laura Marmolejo – Dean, Advanced Manufacturing
- Kyle Nutter – Faculty, Welding
- Dr. Ursula A. Parker – Faculty, Integrated Reading & Writing (INRW)
- Dr. Jonathan Tyner – Dean, Student Affairs
- Stefanie Vermillion – Associate Director, Student Affairs Communication
- Felix Villarreal – Faculty, Biology
- Mirosalva Zuñiga – Director, Student Affairs Communication
Learn more by visiting our Awards Celebration web page. Congratulate the awardees by visiting our dedicated Padlet to offer words of encouragement and support.
For questions, contact the Faculty Development team at [email protected].