Nominees announced for 2021 House/Bruckmann Awards

Five faculty members have been nominated as finalists for the House/Bruckmann Faculty Excellence Awards for 2021:

• Jayne Dressing
• Pam Ecker
• Jen Martin
• Julie McLaughlin
• Andrea Trapp

Voting to determine the two award recipients for 2021 ends at 4 p.m. on Friday, Mar. 26.

• Faculty members and others eligible to vote received a link to the online ballot with the subject line is “2021 House-Bruckmann Award Ballot – Vote“.

• The award recipients and the other nominees will be honored during Common Time on Monday, Apr. 12, along with the recipients of the first-ever Adjunct Faculty Excellence Award and the newest recipients of Professor Emeritus status.

The House/Bruckmann Awards process this year uses new guidelines that were developed by a task force of faculty members and administrators, including multiple past recipients of the award.

• For more about the new process and background about the 35-year history of the award, see the Daily News article published Feb. 3, 2021. (Scrolling might be needed to see the link to the article.)

The House/Bruckmann Award nominees (with excerpts from the nomination statements prepared by the Faculty Excellence Committee) are:

Jayne Dressing, Co-op Coordinator and Professor, Humanities & Sciences

Jayne was nominated for her commitment to student success and her College contributions, which include:

• developing new co-op and internship positions every semester based on students’ goals and job market trends.
   
• creating a new opportunity for CCP high school students to complete a co-op special project and graduate concurrently from Cincinnati State and their high school.
   
• providing the driving force for the Women’s Empowerment Network, by organizing events, providing mentorship, and connecting students to resources.
   
• spearheading the initiative to ensure that no female student would miss class due to lack of hygiene products.
   
• serving as an officer of Faculty Senate and a member of numerous committees.

Her nomination states, “Jayne puts student welfare first and passionately lives the College mission of providing access and opportunity.”

Pam Ecker, Professor, Engineering & Information Technologies

Pam’s collaborative spirit, contributions to the College, and professional achievements drove her nomination. These activities include:

• helping to found Cincinnati State’s AAUP chapter in 1987 and serving as the organization’s president for 23 years.
   
• providing dedicated advocacy for shared governance by serving on multiple Bargaining Teams and Faculty/Administration Communication Teams (FACT), as well as many years of service on the Academic Policies & Curriculum Committee (APCC) and numerous other committees, including the pandemic-era Academic Response Team.
   
• helping to keep the College engaged and informed as the Daily News editor.

Her nomination states, “The impact of Pam’s service extends far beyond the College. Her tireless support and fearless advocacy for faculty were recognized when she received the prestigious National AAUP Marilyn Sternberg Award in 2016 and are recognized now in her nomination.”

Jen Martin, Program Chair and Professor, Humanities & Sciences

Jen was nominated for her contributions to the College that include exceeding expectations and managing the responsibilities of serving as co-chair of the Academic Policies and Curriculum Committee (APCC), which include:

• providing leadership, persistence, and project management skills to organize the entire catalog for publication.
   
• rigorously communicating with stakeholders to ensure that updates and edits are completed in a timely manner.
   
• updating every page with meticulous precision to ensure accuracy of catalog content.

Her nomination states, “The catalog is essential, and the demanding work that it requires goes unnoticed by most. Jen continues to tackle this huge commitment and manages it beautifully, as just one of her many contributions to the College. Jen’s readiness to lead ‘behind the scenes’ is the foundation of her nomination.”

Julie McLaughlin, Department Chair and Professor, Humanities & Sciences

Julie’s contributions to the College and commitment to student success led to her nomination.

• As Chair for First Year Experience (FYE) courses, she leads instructors in readying underprepared students for success throughout their college experience.
   
• She engages with colleagues to review student assignments, develop training workshops, and plan for subsequent semesters, while actively incorporating feedback from others.
   
• She developed Cincinnati State’s Leadership Certificate program, creating opportunities for students to hone skills necessary for a lifetime of success.
   
• Outside of the department, she has served the faculty for many years in her role as an AAUP officer.

Her nomination states, “Julie’s work is truly transformational and she never stops working towards improvements. Her nomination reflects her commitment to giving every colleague a voice and every student the tools to succeed.”

Dr. Andrea Trapp, Department Chair and Professor, Humanities & Sciences

Andrea was nominated for her commitment to student success, collaborative spirit, and excellence in instruction.

• As co-chair of the English Department, she led efforts to create the 101A English Composition course, a one-of-a kind, credit-bearing course that provides immediate access to career pathways for students who might have tested into non-credit developmental education courses in the past. The success rate of this course has been recognized at the State level.
   
• She demonstrates superior leadership and communication skills with the full-time and adjunct faculty in one of the College’s largest departments, and distributes department tasks in a fair and equitable manner.
   
• Her commitment and leadership for the Cincinnati State Honors Program and the Honors Club demonstrate her ongoing focus on student success that extends well beyond the degree process.

Her nomination states, “Andrea’s nomination mirrors her willingness to fight for the underdog and push those who excel to great heights.”