Two professors selected for 2023 Faculty Excellence Award

Meredith Effler, Professor of English (Humanities & Sciences Division), and Ann Fallon, Professor of Chemical Technology and Environmental Engineering Technology (Engineering & Information Technologies Division), are the 2023 recipients of the House/Bruckmann Faculty Excellence Awards.

The Awards were presented on April 24, 2023.

Meredith has been a full-time faculty member for 10 years, after five years of service as an adjunct instructor.

Her nomination recognized her excellence in instruction, commitment to student success, and collaborative spirit.

Her nomination stated:

• In both the traditional and the web-based classroom, Meredith continuously hones her teaching skills and tries new techniques, as evidenced by her participation in a Professional Learning Community and a recent Library pilot project exploring use of learning modules for web students’ assignments.
• Meredith supports and encourages her colleagues in roles such as Co-Chair of the Peer Mentoring Advisory Committee, co-developer of the College’s First Fridays program to help faculty learn from one another, member of the Celebrating Community Committee, and volunteer coordinator for the Science Bowl.
• In the past Meredith has represented Cincinnati State on the Ohio Faculty Senate and has served as Co-chair of the Sabbatical Review Board, and currently she serves as the AAUP Secretary.
• Meredith’s work on College committees helps transform the lives of students beyond the classroom, including serving on the Strategic Plan Steering Committee, the Scholarship Committee, the Deans/Merit List Event Planning Committee, and the Women’s Empowerment Network.

Meredith’s nomination noted, “She models commitment, engagement, authenticity, and optimism, and her energy and enthusiasm have touched many parts of the College.”

Ann has been a member of the full-time faculty for 27 years and previously served as an adjunct instructor for four years.

Her nomination recognized her commitment to student success, contributions to the College, and other contributions.

Her nomination stated: 

• Ann is passionate about helping students succeed in class and at work, through her teaching, advising, and tutoring, both in-person and in virtual format. She continuously develops new learning opportunities for students and encourages students to build professional networks outside the classroom. She is also faculty advisor for the Student Environmental Club.
• Ann took on new challenges and responsibilities as the Program Chair for the Chemical Technology (CMT) degree on top of teaching and advising responsibilities for the Environmental Engineering Technology (EVT) program.
• She is also the liaison to Ohio EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) for the Operator Certification Program to help students earn credit for courses required to maintain water/wastewater operator licenses. Additionally, she is a member of the Ohio Department of Higher Education (ODHE) Review Team for Engineering TAG (Transfer Assurance Guide) Courses.
• Ann coordinates events like the Earth Jam (Earth Day) Celebration and High School Environmental Day, and she assists with numerous admission/recruiting events.
• Ann’s contributions to the College community include serving as Co-chair of the Peer Mentoring Advisory Committee, and personally mentoring two tenure-track faculty members. She also trains and provides ongoing mentoring for numerous adjunct faculty in CMT and EVT.
• She represents the division on the Honors Program Committee, helps to evaluate Scholarship applicants, and is chair of the AAUP Scholarship Committee. She has served on numerous other College committees in the past.

Ann’s nomination says she is “always willing to go above and beyond to help students succeed, and to promote her programs and the College.”

Background

The House/Bruckmann Faculty Excellence Award was established at Cincinnati State in 1985.

• 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 for the award 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.
• The award recipients are selected from the group of finalists through voting by faculty members and academic administrators.