MCC Daily Tribune

TCC Gratitude Series, Day 6: Kudos from Colleagues-to-Colleagues Part 1 & Students to Faulty and Staff

Day 6 of TCC gratitude

MCC students, faculty, staff, and administrators are supported by many wonderful people working in offices all over our campuses. Please join the TCC in thanking the following individuals whose good work was nominated by their colleagues:

Kudos from Colleagues-to-Colleagues Part 1

Bethany Gizzy (Anthropology, History, Political Science, Sociology)

Security in knowing that Bethany is on any task is the support we need as non-teaching faculty. Thank you, Bethany, for your unfailing leadership, knowledge and care for your faculty association members. We are union strong. You deserve so many nights of sleep because of the overtime and stress that you bare. I don't think you are thanked enough. Thank you!!!!!!! Thank you! Thank you!

Kathleen Borbee (Business)

Kathleen has given all of us a charge to learn E portfolio for our students to stand out by practicing with our own. She brought in an amazing model speaker last year. Thank you for all you do for students and their life long goals and business launch.

Michelle DeGraff (Psychology)

Prof. DeGraff is a very dedicated and student-centered teacher. She is open to new ideas, teaching modalities, and educational strategies in order to educate students to the best of her ability. Prof. DeGraff offers an engaging learning environment in her online classes, with a positive and supportive online presence. She is an exemplar of excellence in education who helps “raise the bar” for all teaching faculty.

Natasha Chen (Anthropology, History, Political Science, Sociology)

Natasha continues to support our students, but she has gone above and beyond in taking on leadership roles at the College. Her most innovative work at MCC is her work on several diversity, equity, and inclusion/belonging initiatives and her future work as Co-Chair of our Middle States review. We appreciate her leadership, scholarship, and activism. She embodies the spirit of community college teaching and learning!

Kudos from Students to Faculty and Staff:

Please note that each section organized alphabetically. Stay tune for more kudos from students to our wonderful faculty and professional staff.

Mark Ricci (Visual and Performing Arts)

Professor Ricci is an inspiring and supportive Professor. He has a passion for the subject matter and you can tell he truly cares about the success of his students.

Martha Stewart (Health and Physical Education)

It's my first time taking HEG, and I want to recognize my professor Martha Stewart because of her ways of presenting her course even though it's online. She makes online course information as available as if it were in person, looking out for her students, sending reminders and replying to emails, and also extending help to make sure we stay on track and be successful. That really helped, and I truly appreciate her looking out for her students so they can succeed by communicating frequently.

Mary Gleason (ESOL and Transitional Studies)

Professor Gleason made my reintroduction to Algebra seamless. Anytime I had a question she was only an email away and always got back to me quickly. At the beginning of the semester, I was extremely worried about taking an algebra class considering math in general was always my biggest struggle in school. Professor Gleasons lessons were interesting and easy to follow. Anyone nervous about taking an Algebra course should definitely take her class! You won't regret it!

Mary Keating-Biltucci (ESOL and Transitional Studies)

Professor Biltucci knows my troubles as a student, how I work go to school and do homework, and still try to be an adult. She never uses it against me and still checks in on me to make sure I’m mental okay and valuing my self-care.

Mary Slifer (Library)

Mary makes it a pleasure to work in the library as a student aide. She is patient but clear what the expectations are. She sets the example by putting in plenty of hard work herself. She along with the other library staff set the tone that makes the Brighton Library such an efficient and warm place for the students that use the facilities and the workers.

Mathew Fox (ESOL and Transitional Studies)

My professor is truly exceptional; their down-to-earth approach and remarkable ability to explain concepts make the English class an engaging and enjoyable experience. With a unique blend of passion and expertise, they effortlessly break down complex ideas into understandable parts, creating an inclusive learning environment. Their down-to-earth demeanor fosters a connection with students, making everyone feel at ease to ask questions and participate in discussions. Whether dissecting the nuances of literature or unraveling the intricacies of grammar, my professor brings a refreshing and accessible perspective to the subject matter. Their enthusiasm for English is contagious, turning what could be a mundane class into a captivating journey through language and literature. Through their teaching style, my professor has not only made English comprehensible but also infused it with a sense of fun and excitement that resonates with every student in the class.

Matthew Williams (Mathematics), Received 3 Nominations

He may have one of the hardest math classes on campus, but that is because he wants his students to succeed to the best of their abilities.
I am a returning older student and had a lot of doubts about the materials we were learning in class. Mr. Williams' would take time out of his busy schedule to ensure that I received extra help with the chapter assignments. He is very patient with the students and provided plenty of support.
This professor goes above and beyond to assist and teach the material at hand. Any questions the students have had this year he was able to answer without hesitation. He is very educated and knowledgeable on the material being taught to the class. His personality through the year has helped make math more fun by keeping us involved, engaged, and interested.

Melissa Gue (Office of the Student Life and Leadership Development)

She is an amazing person; she is always ready to do all her best with her beautiful smile.

Michael Nolan (ESOL and Transitional Studies)

Professor Nolan is the sweetest person I have come across. It is my first year of college and having him as a professor was very nice. You can tell he enjoys teaching his students about English and makes class interesting. But it is how kind he is that makes me look forward to his class. I really appreciate how he takes his time with students and is always intrigued in what students have to say.

Michael Ofsowitz (Engineering and Physics)

Professor Ofsowitz always makes class enjoyable and I always look forward to going to his classes. He makes going to class fun and always presents his material in a way that is engaging and interesting. I am never bored in his class, and he is always helpful when it comes to answering any questions that students may have.

Micheal Rhoda (Biology)

He’s funny, understanding, easy to approach and talk to, explains things well, and is always willing to help.

Michele Finn (Biology), Received 4 Nominations

Prof. Finn is an awesome professor. She is hard working, fair, and very helpful.
Dr. Finn not only provides what we need to know for Bio 145, she goes above and beyond to help us apply the theory in practical ways. She encourages questions and goes above and beyond to ensure we have all the information needed and then goes the extra mile to help us see the bigger picture for the concept.
Professor Finn possesses an exceptional ability to captivate and inspire her students. She goes above and beyond in her teaching approach, utilizing innovative methods to engage students and foster a love for learning. She prioritizes student success and actively seeks opportunities to support and mentor her students, both inside and outside the classroom. Her enthusiasm is infectious, and her commitment to academic excellence creates an environment that encourages critical thinking, intellectual curiosity, and personal growth. Thanks for being awesome Professor Finn!
Professor Finn is a remarkable teacher. She pays attention to a student's needs and give us so much opportunity to meet success! She's able to explain the curriculum efficiently, to the class while acknowledging us when we have questions.

Michele Iannone (Mathematics)

Professor Iannone has been supportive in my learning adventure, and she has made herself available even when she does not have office hours. She is very smart and has helped me so much this semester. She is a great asset to all students.

Michelle DeGraff (Psychology)

Professor DeGraff goes above and beyond with her correspondence with students. I have had her for online courses and despite never meeting her in person she has provided myself and others with her full support and always promptly replies and helps to her best ability via email. Last year I was struggling immensely with the pressures of school and life which led to me neglecting her course and ultimately failing. She reached out to me through email and gave me some much needed words of encouragement, something that I seldom receive from my own family and friends. I was feeling powerless and quickly losing motivation towards my academic path but she reinforced my attitudes by validating my potential and value to the world. Her comments on assignments are so in depth and thoughtful, I deeply admire her ability to maintain well fleshed out courses while giving great advice and constructive criticism. A professor like Michelle DeGraff is like a breath of fresh air as she is clearly extremely passionate about her work and truly cares about her students.

Mrs. Cindy (Tutoring)

Mrs. Cindy from the tutoring office has always been helpful when it comes to helping people easily process math theories. She helped me change the stigma that's typically found when people need to do math, so I could be able to enjoy doing it, which makes the semester much less stressful when it comes to math. I'm very thankful for her and would recommend her to any student struggling in math, or scared to take any math class, as she can break down difficult/dense concepts into simple concepts that anyone can process.

Nancy O’Donnell (English/Philosophy), Received 2 Nominations

She has been the ideal professor/ Instructor this semester. She is very helpful full of life and it shows that she loves what she does! Always willing to go the extra mile in class and office hours to make sure her students get the objective done. She has been very helpful and active in her teaching this semester and I would love to have her as a professor again.
Professor O'Donnell goes above and beyond with her students. She is available to help support us anytime we are in need, even if it is at the last minute. She is an amazing teacher that has turned a course that for me personally was never a favored subject, I now look forward to attending each class eager for more learning! Thank you for being a wonderful human being, I will miss having you as my professor.

Natasha Chen (Anthropology, History, Political Science and Sociology)

My professor went above and beyond to make sure that I understand what to write for my essays, and she also find time to help me correct my mistakes when writing and she is always friendly and easy to communicate with and is always concerned and caring about each of her students.

Nickolas Viele (Visual and Performing Arts)

Professor Viele has a positive way of bringing out the best in his students. He has a very positive attitude that is encouraging. His demonstrations are clear. He communicates often by email so you know what he expects from you. In the classroom he is helpful and has a proactive approach to problem solving. He makes you want to achieve in his class.

Nicole Reed (English and Philosophy)

I can tell she actually cares about her students she makes sure we are setup successful in everything even checks up on us personally. Even though she's going thorough something, every time I walk in the classroom, she lights up the room, and is always positive.

Nitza Rodriguez (Visual and Performing Arts)

Nitza is absolutely an amazing professor. She not only values herself but her students and our opinions in the classroom. She keeps the discussions very vibrant and catches our attention to provide a well carried discussion. She is kind, helpful and very considerate about not just her students but her topics that she is very passionate about. She is amazing!!

Melis Kural
Teaching & Creativity Center
12/13/2023