On Monday, an email was sent to all Bellevue College students regarding the nomination process for the 2023–2024 BC Foundation Faculty & Staff Excellence Awards. They are a series of awards that aim to “recognize outstanding faculty and staff members who demonstrate a commitment to excellence through their contributions to the campus and [the Bellevue College] community.” The awards are divided into categories of full-time faculty, part-time faculty, classified staff and exempt staff, with the winner in each category receiving $2,500.
As the name of the awards suggests, the monetary prizes given to each winner are provided by the BC Foundation, the organization that handles and distributes charitable donations to Bellevue College. According to the foundation’s website, one-third of the students at Bellevue College need financial assistance but don’t receive it. The school only receives 24% of its revenue from the state, necessitating external fundraising efforts and donation collections. The Faculty & Staff Excellence Awards, among other awards like the Lockwood Foundation Grants for innovative teaching and individual student scholarships, are meant to use the donation/fundraising money in a way that “[supports] quality educational opportunities for the college’s students.”
The awards or award (the first few years of this award being presented only featured a winner in one or two categories) have been presented every year since 1984. The profiles of the most recent winners provide a snapshot of the commitment needed to be nominated for and win the award.
The winner in the full-time faculty category, Linda Schinman of the Radiation Therapy Department, was commended for her service to the Bellevue College community through her efforts to engage students and her contributions outside the community by way of published research and the sharing of expert knowledge. Matt Edwards of the Communication Studies Department, who was the winner in the part-time faculty category, was nominated for “teaching in a way that makes students excited about learning” and taking the “initiative to not only be outstanding for himself but… to create hope and greatness in and for other people.” The winner in the classified employee category, Pheng Moua of Food Services, was recognized for his reputation as one of the most helpful people on campus and for transitioning to testing services work during the pandemic-era cancellation of food services. Last but not least, Kimberly Hassell of the Health Sciences, Education and Wellness Institute, who was the winner in the exempt employee category, was lauded for her reputation among her colleagues as “the first one to jump in or step up when there is a challenge to be worked through” and the one they can count on “to create a fair resolution in every situation.”
If you know any staff or faculty member who fits the profile of these past winners or meets the criteria for the awards, you can nominate them in this online form (the nomination process closes at 11:59 PM on December 31, 2023).
* Note: past winners of the awards cannot be nominated again.
