Rappahannock Community College Faculty and Staff Win Awards
Rappahannock Community College (RCC) recently announced the winners of the College’s IDEAL Awards. Presented annually to a full-time instructional faculty member; a full-time classified staff, an administrative, or professional faculty member; an adjunct faculty member; a dual enrollment instructor; and, a part-time staff member, the award focuses on RCC’s values.
The award’s name comes from an acronym encompassing the College’s values Integrity, Diversity and Inclusion, Excellence, Access, and Learning for Life. Students, colleagues and community members have the opportunity to nominate an RCC employee for the award. In addition to recognition and accolades, the awards come with a monetary prize.
This year’s recipients (pictured below from left to right) are:
Suzanne Nester, dual enrollment Health Careers teacher at Gloucester High School. Comments on Nester’s nomination included, “as an RCC graduate and nurse aide instructor she is committed to student success. Her students have a 100% pass rate.” Nester also implemented the Patient Care Technician program.
James Hutzler, adjunct faculty Political Science. “James is a phenomenal instructor and uses his practical knowledge from working with the Virginia Association of Counties to engage students in learning about the American political processes,” said a nominator.
Jody Osler, part-time staff, Academic Coach. “Jody’s commitment to the college reflects that of a full-time employee. She is flexible, dependable, and serves both students and colleagues with dedication and care,” said one of her nominators.
Stacie Wind, full-time staff, Healthcare Recruitment and Development Manager. Comments on Wind’s nominations included, “Stacie has developed high-impact initiatives that connect students with real-world healthcare experiences, including immersive career exploration programs that provide direct exposure to health care careers.”
Julie Little, full-time faculty, Associate Professor, Biology. One of Julie’s nominators, an online student who works two jobs commented, “She gave me the support I needed. Her bubbly energy made the class a million times better. I would recommend others to choose her as their professor.”
Dr. Ralph D. Elliott established an award in 2022 to annually recognize and honor an RCC instructor, staff member, or administrator who has promoted initiatives in the field of workforce credential or continuing education in a worthy and exemplary manner.
This year’s winner of the Dr. Ralph D. Elliott Award is Kelly Clifton, Workforce Navigator. Kelly is known for her willingness to go above and beyond in all aspects of her role. She is a dependable, proactive, and student-centered professional whose contributions have meaningful impact on workforce credentialing and student success.
“Each year, I look forward to reading the nominations and am reminded that all of our faculty and staff are deserving of recognition,” said RCC President Shannon Kennedy. “We received a record number of nominations this year, which speaks to the dedication and impact of our employees. I congratulate the award winners all those who were nominated."
