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MCC Daily Tribune

Professor Sherry Tshibangu to Represent Faculty at the 2023 Commencement as the Faculty Marshal

Leading the ceremonies for Monroe Community College’s 2023 Commencement will be Faculty Marshal, Sherry Tshibangu. In her role as Faculty Marshal, Distinguished Professor of Business and Entrepreneurship Tshibangu will represent MCC faulty as the macebearer and lead the faculty processional.

For the past 20 years, Professor Tshibangu’s creativity and steadfast commitment to teaching and learning were woven into her engaging teaching style and the innovative programs she designed or implemented; programs that not only enriched our student’s educational experiences but also embolden students to seek entrepreneurial adventures. Professor Tshibangu has been an active member of the MCC community linking college and community events with her teaching and consistently broadening the student experience beyond the classroom. Professor Tshibangu served as chair of the MCC Launch your Business! initiative for two years and played a key role in the Everyday Entrepreneur Venture Fund grant totaling $250,000. This initiative supported over 100 current students, alumni and City of Rochester residents by providing funding as well as a business mentor as they completed their degrees or launched their own businesses. She was also the co-founder of Pathways to Entrepreneurial Success. Another initiative which connected aspiring entrepreneurs to business leaders and community resources.

After graduating from Atlanta University (now Clark Atlanta University) with an MBA in finance, Professor Tshibangu’s started her entrepreneurial journey as the owner of a video rental company. Nearly 40 years later, Professor Tshibangu’s impressive list of business accomplishments includes retail, export, and consulting services. In addition to her entrepreneurial ventures, Professor Tshibangu is also deeply committed to community organizations, serving as an Executive Coach and Mentor for the United Way of Greater Rochester’s Leadership-Equity-Advancement-Development Program and as the co-founder of RTST Foundation, a Congolese-American Charitable Organization that supports health, educational programs, and institutions in Central and South Africa.

Professor Tshibangu received many awards and accolades during her time at MCC, including the 2020 American Association of Community Colleges (AACC) Dale P. Parnell Faculty Distinction Recognition Award for supporting students inside and outside the classroom and going beyond what is required to ensure they are successful in their academic endeavors; the 2019 Dr. Wesley T. Hanson Award for Teaching Excellence, the highest teaching award granted by Monroe Community College; and the 2019 Exemplary Online Educator: Open SUNY Online Teaching Ambassador for being a leader in the online teaching environment.  She was also the recipient of the 2010 National Institute for Staff and Organizational Development Award (NISOD) for teaching and leadership excellence. Professor Tshibangu was most recently awarded the Carmen Powers Legacy Lecture for 2023. These are just a few of the many honors bestowed on Professor Tshibangu as an educator and prior to joining MCC.

Please help me in congratulating Faculty Marshal Sherry Tshibangu on her dedication to MCC, her colleagues, our students, and members of our community as she transitions into the next chapter of her storied life.  We extend our heartfelt gratitude to Professor Tshibangu for her unwavering commitment to excellence in education. She has been a true inspiration to us all, and we are honored to have had the privilege of working alongside her.

As she embarks on this new chapter of her life, Professor Tshibangu will continue to support budding entrepreneurs and increase her focus on the RTST Foundation.  She also plans to spend more time with her grandchildren, take time to travel, and work on perfecting her golf game!  We know she will continue to make a positive impact wherever she goes.  Her legacy at MCC will endure, and her contributions will be remembered for years to come.

Once again, congratulations, Sherry, and thank you for all that you have done for our community!

Margaret Semmer
Academic and Student Affairs
05/11/2023