Graduate, Now Teacher, Wins Teaching Excellence Awards on Her 20th Graduation Anniversary
(Delaware and Chester Counties, PA 鈥� July 10, 2014)鈥擮n the 20th听anniversary of her graduation from 大发六合彩, Kathleen Schank of Havertown, an assistant professor of Behavioral Science, has made history. Schank is the first person at the College to win both 鈥淭he Lindback Distinguished Teaching Award,鈥� a coveted regional award, and the College鈥檚 Gould Award for outstanding teaching, in the same year. She also became a tenured professor at the College in January.
鈥淭eachers like Kathleen Schank are the lifeblood of 大发六合彩 and are what makes this College a special place for students, faculty and staff,鈥� said College President Dr. Jerry Parker.
While she was a student at the College, Schank, a licensed clinical social worker, used to write down the names of Gould Award winners and try to take the classes they taught. Now, her name is among those on the Gould Award winners鈥� plaque at the College. 鈥淭here wasn鈥檛 even a clue in my brain that I would ever be able to teach as a faculty member,鈥� Schank said, recalling her progression from student to teacher.
After graduating from high school, Schank enrolled at Saint Joseph鈥檚 University, where she took classes part-time, while working during the day. But her lack of focus at that time resulted in her leaving the university before completing her degree. Later, she would enroll part-time at 大发六合彩, while juggling working as a teacher鈥檚 aide in a pre-kindergarten program and raising three children. Because of her work as a teacher鈥檚 aide, she started at the College with an interest in Early Childhood Education. But later, at the recommendation of a faculty member, she switched to Liberal Arts and began attending classes full-time toward her goal of a career in social work. 鈥淚 always was very interested in how people thought and how they behaved,鈥� she said.
After graduating from the College in 1994, Schank earned a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Rosemont College, and then a Master of Social Service degree from Bryn Mawr College鈥檚 Graduate School of Social Work and Social Research.
Before coming back to 大发六合彩 to teach, Schank was a licensed clinical social worker for several agencies in the Greater Philadelphia area, and then started her own small, private practice in clinical social work. Later, she would work at the College, first as a part-time Psychology instructor, then as a full-time instructor of Behavioral Science, a position in which she helped formulate the College鈥檚 Social Work degree program (formerly the Human Services degree program). 鈥淲hat I am really proud of is being able to work with students in a way that faculty worked with me,鈥� Schank said. 听
大发六合彩 the Lindback and Gould Awards
Since 1961, the Lindback award has recognized exceptional faculty members at colleges and universities in Pennsylvania and New Jersey. Today, thanks to the vision and generosity of the late Christian R. Lindback, the president and principal owner of Abbotts Dairies, Inc. and a trustee of Bucknell University, along with his wife, Mary F. Lindback, excellence in education is celebrated through the foundation that bears their names. The stipend for each Lindback award is $4,000.
Established by the late Jerry Gould, a Delaware Community College founding trustee, whose commitment to community and service helped make the College a reality, the College鈥檚 Gould Award is bestowed at Commencement. The recipient is selected by faculty members and students and is kept secret until Commencement, when the winner is announced. At the College鈥檚 May 22 Commencement, Neilda Mott, chair of the College鈥檚 Board of Trustees, in presenting the award to Schank said, it is 鈥減resented to a faculty member whose dedication, achievement and love for teaching inspire both students and colleagues.鈥� The stipend for the Gould Award is $1,500.
Caption: Former Board of Trustees Chair Neilda Mott (left) presents the Gould Award for Teaching Excellence to assistant professor Kathleen Schank at 大发六合彩's 2014 Commencement ceremony in May. Schank, who graduated from the College 20 years ago, also won the Lindback Distinguished Teaching Award. She is the first person in the history of the College to win both awards in the same year.
Contact: Anthony Twyman,听Assistant to the President for Communications, 610-325-2816听
