Midland College faculty receive the Dr. Stan Jacobs Teaching Excellence AwardApril 27, 2023

Last Friday, April 21, Midland College (MC) awarded two faculty members with the Dr. Stan Jacobs Teaching Excellence Award at a ceremony and celebration of teaching in the Scharbauer Student Center Carrasco Room. The 2023 winners are Charity Rohlfs, JD and Brenton Cross, Ph.D.

Thanks to a generous endowment given by Dr. Jacobs, retired Associate Vice President of Instruction, Rohlfs and Cross each received a cash award, and their names are inscribed on a plaque in the Pevehouse Administration Building.  Rohlfs is associate professor in MC’s Paralegal program, and Cross is associate professor of English, Humanities and Philosophy.

The Teaching Excellence Awards are a long-standing tradition at Midland College, an institution that prides itself on quality teaching and a superior faculty.  In fact, current MC President Dr. Steve Thomas won the award when he taught psychology courses at the college in the 1980s.

“The core foundation of Midland College is teaching and learning,” Dr. Thomas explained.  “MC is one of the best community colleges in the state because of our outstanding faculty.”

2023 Dr. Stan Jacobs Teaching Excellence Award finalists are Debbie McNeely, Ph.D., associate professor of Psychology; Sheena Thompson, department chair and associate professor of Kinesiology; Brandi Havner, department chair and instructor of Sonography; and Erick Gutierrez, department chair and associate professor of Diesel Technology.

“These faculty have made significant contributions to Midland College through innovation in teaching and commitment to students,” Dr. Thomas said.  “Congratulations to all.”

The MC Teaching and Learning Center hosted last Friday’s ceremony and produced videos featuring each of the winners and finalists explaining their teaching philosophies. Videos are available on the MC website – Dr. Stan Jacobs Teaching Excellence Award page