Student 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!!
Kural, Melis
Teaching & Creativity Center
12/13/2023