Rebecca Wolfe, adjunct faculty member and coordinator of the Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) Program at Prairie State College (PSC) recently was recognized as the 2018 Illinois Community College Trustees Association (ICCTA) Outstanding Part-Time Faculty Award recipient.
Wolfe accepted the award during the 2018 ICCTA awards ceremony, held Friday, June 1, in Springfield. This is the second year in a row that a PSC adjunct faculty member has been named a recipient of the part-time faculty member award.
Wolfe has been a faculty member and coordinator of the Certified Nursing Assistant program at PSC for three years. During her tenure, she has completely transformed the program to better meet the needs of the students by revising the curriculum, the application process, and the lab.
Wolfe has been a registered nurse for 51 years. Before coming to PSC, she had worked as an emergency/surgical nurse for various hospitals, and became a full-time staff nurse with the South Holland Medical Center as she pursued a degree to become a nurse practitioner. She then practiced as a nurse practitioner in a number of health care facilities. Wolfe is a three-year diploma graduate of the Methodist Hospital School of Nursing, and has a bachelor's degree in nursing with nurse practitioner curriculum from Purdue University.
PSC Vice President of Academic Affairs Dr. Marie Hansel says that one of the many reasons the college nominated Wolfe for the award was her continuous support of the students and celebration of their accomplishments.
She illustrated her point through a story from a recent graduation ceremony for a CNA class at PSC, telling of how she witnessed a touching moment between one of the graduates and her young children.
"The graduate turned to her two little girls and said, 'We are going to be alright. Mama has her degree,'" Hansel recalled. "This is what Rebecca does on a daily basis. She makes lives alright. She is part time, but her dedication is full time," Hansel said.
The college also nominated Professor of English Dr. Megan Hughes for the Outstanding Full-Time Faculty Member Award and 2017-2018 Student Trustee Hector Guevara for the Gigi Campbell Student Trustee Excellence Award.
"The college only nominates the most qualified people for these prestigious awards," said PSC President Dr. Terri L. Winfree. "All our nominees should be very proud of the accomplishments that led the college to nominate them this year."
Prairie State College is a two-year community college offering associate degrees, technical and career certificates, and adult, corporate, and continuing education. The college fosters collaborative relationships that empower students to achieve their education and career goals. The college embraces its diversity, nurtures life-long learning, and supports community and economic development. For more information, visit prairiestate.edu.