Ivy Tech Community College honored Matthew (Matt) Fisher of Fort Wayne last week as one of 35 individuals across the state selected to receive the 2021 President’s Awards, the highest honor for Ivy Tech faculty. Fort Wayne’s James (Jim) Graham was also nominated for the Gerald I. Lamkin Award.
The College honored each one of the winners for their exemplary work with students and the College community during the past year. A Selection Committee made up of alumni, past winners, State Trustees, faculty representatives, and college administration selected the honorees based on nominations from students, fellow faculty members, and Ivy Tech staff.
“Our faculty members make all the difference in the lives of our students,” said Ivy Tech President Sue Ellspermann. “They challenge students to think critically, prepare students for successful careers in the communities in which they live, and encourage them to be fully engaged in their communities. We congratulate them for their work and honor them for being the inspiration in the lives of so many.”
“Matthew Fisher’s approach to teaching is consistently innovative, strategic, and marked by continuous improvement,” said Rebecca Bishop, Ivy Tech Fort Wayne Dean of Arts, Sciences, and Education. “As Ivy Tech responded to the needs of our students shifting to remote learning during the pandemic, Matt embraced the opportunity to craft new technology-based delivery practices. Matt did not simply deliver his traditional classes via Zoom; he rebuilt the courses to engage his students in new ways made possible by technology newly acquired by Ivy Tech.”
Now in its 41st year, the President’s Awards Program recognizes faculty and adjunct faculty members from Ivy Tech locations throughout the state.
The College also honored James Hamilton with the Glenn W. Sample Award Founder’s Award for Excellence in Instruction, and Catherine Swinney with the Gerald I. Lamkin Award. Sample and Lamkin are two former Ivy Tech presidents. Sample helped to found the College when it was still the Indiana Vocational Technical College and served as president from 1973-19XX. Lamkin served as Ivy Tech president from 1983-2007, overseeing the growth of the College from a vocational school to the state’s community college.
The winner of the this year’s awards were as follows:
Glenn W. Sample Award
James Hamilton – Associate Professor, Mechanical Engineering Technology (Indianapolis)
Gerald I. Lamkin Award
Catherine Swinney – Adjunct Faculty/Clinical Instructor PN and ASN Nursing Program (Columbus)
A full list of the statewide President’s Award honorees is included below.
Faculty Honorees (by Ivy Tech location):
- Anderson: Duane Wolfe – Assistant Professor of Mathematics & Assistant Department Chair for the School of Arts, Sciences and Education
- Bloomington: Kyle M. Hetrick, Ph.D. – Associate Professor and Assistant Chair, Biology and Anatomy & Physiology
- Columbus: Michael S.C. Kelley – Assistant Program Chair/Assistant Professor Welding
- Fort Wayne: Matthew (Matt) Fisher – Associate Professor, Economics
- Indianapolis: James Hamilton – Associate Professor, Mechanical Engineering Technology
- Kokomo: Jia Hardimon-Eddington – Surgical Technology Instructor
- Lafayette: Elizabeth Hayden – Program Chair/Faculty Respiratory Therapy
- Lake County: Teresa Hallmen – Program Chair Medical Assisting
- Lawrenceburg: Amanda Purcell – Associate Professor of Education/Program Chair Early Childhood Education Elementary Education & Secondary Education
- Madison: Ronald Novak – Associate Professor, Industrial Technology
- Marion: Ceola Friday – Program Chair Early Childhood Education
- Muncie: Octavia Thorns-Jackson – Department Chair, English, Communications, and World Languages
- Richmond: Kristen Soots – Program Chair General Studies/Assistant Professor of Mathematics
- Sellersburg: Kimberly Reynolds – Associate Professor of English/Ivy Achieves Champion
- South Bend – Elkhart: Rosario Hiestand – Full-Time Professor Early Childhood Education
- Terre Haute: Angela Hayes – Assistant Professor Human Services
- Valparaiso: Mitzi Mary Simerlein, D.C. – Assistant Professor Liberal and Physical Sciences
Adjunct Faculty Honorees (by Ivy Tech location):
- Anderson: Christine Quinn – Adjunct Faculty, Healthcare Specialist and CNA Director
- Bloomington: Mary Jane Fleener, MSN,RN – Adjunct Faculty, Nursing
- Columbus: Catherine Swinney – Adjunct Faculty/Clinical Instructor PN and ASN Nursing Program
- Evansville: August “John” Paulson – Adjunct Faculty, Human Services
- Fort Wayne: James (Jim) Graham – Adjunct Faculty, Automotive Technology
- Indianapolis: Dianna Davis – Faculty/Mentor and Course Developer, IvyOnline
- Kokomo: David Lingle – Automotive Instructor
- Lafayette: Brooke Criswell – Adjunct Lecturer
- Lake County: Lee Richard Purcell – Adjunct Faculty, Communication/PT Academic Advisor
- Lawrenceburg: C. Martin Justice – Adjunct Faculty, Human Services
- Madison: Rae Jean Morris – Adjunct Instructor School of Nursing
- Marion: Vicki Schumacher – Adjunct Faculty, Medical Assisting
- Muncie: Felix Rippy – Adjunct Professor of Business and Technology
- Richmond: Sunshine McCartt – Adjunct Faculty
- Sellersburg: Veronica Munn – Associate Adjunct Instructor, English
- South Bend – Elkhart: Fernando Ramirez III – Adjunct Faculty, Environmental Design
- Terre Haute: Brandon Hall – Adjunct Faculty/Lab Assistant Agriculture
- Valparaiso: Thomas Bancsi- Adjunct Faculty/Lead Occupational Therapist
Inside Ivy Tech 