Students, faculty, clubs and programs honored at MCCC

Monroe County Community College presented several awards to students, clubs, programs and faculty during its recent Honors Night Celebration.

--The Faculty Association Outstanding Student Award recipients are Presley Bergmooser and Lisa O’Brien.

“Bergmooser demonstrated academic excellence in the classroom across all disciplines. She has worked at MCCC as a Writing Fellow and as a tutor. In addition to her success in the classroom and in assisting other MCCC students, she is a small business owner and artist contributing to our community. She will be transferring to Michigan State University in the fall,” MCCC said.

“O’Brien also demonstrated academic excellence in the classroom across a range of disciplines in her pursuit of becoming a nurse. Her perseverance is clearly demonstrated by the fact that she had to put her education on hold for a time and re-prioritize due to ‘life happens’ situations, such as family needs and personal loss before returning to her studies recently. She continues to excel while managing multiple roles in her family along with her work on the cardiac unit in the University of Michigan Health System,” MCCC said.

Other nominees for this award included: Amber Barnes, Davon Cann, Levi Couch and David Pienta.

Other Individual student awards and recognition included:

--All-USA Academic Team Nominees: Emily Klyder and Rachael Miska. In addition, Miska was named a 2022 Coca-Cola Academic Team Gold Scholar.

--President’s Academic Achievement Awards: Soraya Corcoran, Kaylee Kazimer, Heather Matthews, Elizabeth Rodenbeck and Jacob Sadowyj

--The George Rhodes Writing Fellow Award: Elisabeth Brockman

--Dr. Ronald Campbell Student Government Award: Claire Bacarella and Colette Tibai

--Excellence in Journalism: Alexia Greenwood, Emma Marion, Michael Moser and Marie Underwood

--Peer Spirit of Nursing Awards: Olivia Scully, December 2021 class and Cassandra Kish, April 2022 class

--Outstanding Accounting Student Awards: David McBee and Angela Gray

--Outstanding Agriculture Student Award: Sam Costello

--Overall Outstanding ASET (Applied Science & Engineering Technology) Student Award: David Pienta

--Outstanding Business Management Student Award: Soraya Corcoran

--Outstanding CIS (Computer Information Systems) Student Award: Jessica Petrowitsch

--Outstanding Early Childhood Education Student Award: Karalee DeLormier

--Outstanding Electrical Engineering Technology Student Award: Francis Watters

--Outstanding Freshman Chemistry Award: Cade Fiscus

--Outstanding Humanities Student Award: Elisabeth Brockman

--Outstanding Journalism Award: Claire Bacarella and Lauren Werlinger

--Outstanding Mathematics Student Award: Ella Ryan

--Outstanding Nursing Student Awards: Tracey Jarrett, December 2021 class and Chloe Suydam, April 2022 class

--Outstanding Respiratory Therapy Student Award: Chase Hill

--Outstanding Welding Technology Student Awards: Kevin St. Bernard, Jeron Takacs and Evan Wielfaert

--Outstanding Student Program of the Year Award for Excellence in Student and Community: The Student Nursing Association Outreach Programs

Several faculty awards were given. Recipients were nominated by students and staff and were selected by a committee comprised of faculty, support staff, administrators and students.

--Outstanding Adjunct Faculty Award: Joseph Verkennes

“Students who nominated Joe for this award described him as ‘polite, interesting, responsive and overall awesome professor.’ Student comments on classroom evaluations describe him as energetic, caring, flexible, adaptive and competent,” MCCC said.

Other nominees for Outstanding Adjunct Faculty Award included: Lori Biggs, Cynthia Edwards, Ryan Feroni, Joel Fiedler, Anne Gospodarek, Kevin Pooley, Amy Tennant and Lauren Wallace

--Outstanding Faculty Award: Dr. Matthew Bird-Meyer

“Dr. Bird-Meyer joined the faculty at MCCC in the position of professor of journalism in 2019. In just three short years, he has made a significant and positive mark on the journalism program at MCCC, particularly in regard to the student newspaper, The Agora. He has been a perfect fit here at MCCC, where he continues the tradition of rich classes in communications, mass media and journalism and an award-winning student newspaper,” MCCC said.

Other nominees for the Outstanding Faculty Award included: Jenna Bazzell, Mark Bergmooser, Dr. Kevin Cooper, Tracy Giacomini, Dr. Melissa Grey, Mark Jager, Dr. Kenneth Mohney, Dr. Carrie Nartker, Dr. Kathleen Shepherd, Helen Stripling, Kevin Thomas, Tracy Vogt, Scott Wang and Stephanie Wozniak

--Outstanding Diversity Program of the Year Awards were presented to Rudy Flores and Scott Bentley.

“Flores, who lives in Adrian and works with migrant workers in Lenawee and Monroe Counties, gave an excellent presentation on the role of migrant workers in our economy during ‘The Hands that Feed Us’ for MCCC’s Hispanic Heritage Month. Flores shared with participants there are hundreds of migrant workers in Monroe County who work in our orchards, on our farms and many other places and the unique impact they have on the region along with the challenges they face,” MCCC said.

“Bentley is superintendent of the River Raisin National Battlefield Park. During MCCC’s Native American Heritage Month, he highlighted how a $200,000 grant MCCC received from the Native American Heritage Fund has provided for the battlefield and MCCC to make important changes in history courses and other initiatives as part of his presentation, ‘A Journey Towards Understanding,’” MCCC said.

This article originally appeared on The Monroe News: Students, faculty, clubs and programs honored at MCCC