2026 House/Bruckmann Award recipients are Milene Donlin & Julie McLaughlin

The House/Bruckmann Faculty Excellence Award recipients for 2026 are Milene Donlin and Julie McLaughlin.

• A celebration for the award recipients will take place Monday, April 20, from 3 to 4:30 p.m. in the Main Building Conference Center.
• The celebration also will recognize the other 2026 House/Bruckmann award finalists (Sheena Davis, Jessica Loomis, and Dr. Carol Morman), as well as the Adjunct Faculty Excellence Award recipients and the recently retired faculty members who are receiving Professor Emeritus status.

Milene Donlin is a Professor and the Department Chair for Biology in the Health & Public Safety Division. 

Milene joined the College as an adjunct faculty member in 2013, and has been a member of the full-time faculty since 2018.

Milene was nominated for her Collaborative Spirit, Contributions to the College, Commitment to Student Success, and Contributions to the Community. 

Achievements described in Milene’s nomination include:

• Milene became the Biology Department Chair “just in time to face flooded offices and labs” and through her “incredible organizational skills and work ethic,” she was able to make sure Biology classes continued in a rotating set of labs and classrooms. She also improved many Biology Department processes, making them more straightforward and effective.
• In her teaching and her support of other faculty, Milene helps others adopt effective practices, such as adjusting some questions in Anatomy and Physiology practical exams so they are more understandable for English Language Learners.
• Milene was an early adopter of the Brightspace learning management system who served as “an exemplary resource for fellow faculty members” as they developed their courses. She led several hands-on training sessions for faculty who launched Brightspace courses in Summer 2025.
• Milene has served twice as Faculty Senate President, working with colleagues and administrators to improve College processes and advocate for increases to adjunct pay.
• Milene also helps Cincinnati State serve as a resource for the Greater Cincinnati community, including organizing employees for clean-up projects in area parks, and co-leading Academic League weekly competitions and tournaments for area high school students.

Julie McLaughlin is a Professor and the Department Chair for First Year Experience courses and for the Leadership Certificate in Humanities & Sciences. 

Julie has been a faculty member at Cincinnati State since 2003. She served as an Academic Advisor before moving to her current role, and she has been nominated 10 times previously for House/Bruckmann recognition.

Julie is a co-author of the textbook Thriving in the Community College & Beyond: Strategies for Academic Success & Personal Development and is a frequent presenter at workshops and conference sessions on best practices in First Year Experience programs and courses.

Julie’s nomination noted her Contributions to the College and Commitment to Student Success. Achievements described in her nomination include:

• Julie’s primary role at the College is devoted to “making sure students are successful both in the classroom and beyond.” She consistently leads the instructors in FYE and Leadership courses “to not only care for the students in their classes, but also to push the bounds of the existing content to make sure it is applicable and useful in paving the way for student success.” Her nomination describes FYE as “one of the most well-run departments and course series’ on campus.”
• Julie has been actively involved in numerous College committees. As a member of the Brightspace LMS FACT team, Julie “worked collaboratively with other faculty and administrators to guide the group towards a mutually beneficial agreement” on how to compensate faculty for developing and transitioning courses to Brightspace, which “was no small feat.”
• As Vice President of the Cincinnati State AAUP Chapter, Julie has been a strong advocate and leader, frequently serving as “a voice for faculty in high-stakes meetings with administration,” while conducting discussions “with a sense of respect and teamwork that ultimately allow the College to move forward.”
• As a member of several AAUP negotiation teams, Julie has demonstrated “an admirable and impressive ability to work towards compromise while also being firm in defending the rights of faculty members.”

Background

The House/Bruckmann Faculty Excellence Award was established in 1985. Award criteria have been revised several times since the inception of this recognition program.

• The award is named for Clifford R. House, the first president of Cincinnati Technical College, and Alice P. Bruckmann, a member of the College’s first Board of Trustees. 
• Tenured faculty members may be nominated by faculty and academic administrators based on demonstrated excellence related to the following criteria:
  • Excellence in Instruction
  • Commitment to Student Success
  • Collaborative Spirit
  • Contributions to the College
  • Contributions to the Community
  • Professional Achievements
  • Other
• Nominations are reviewed by a Screening Subcommittee comprised of past award recipients, and up to five nominees may be recommended for recognition as finalists.