Seven faculty and administrative staff receive awards for outstanding work

Seven North Central College faculty and administrative staff were recognized this spring with awards for their outstanding teaching, leadership, scholarship and administrative service for the 2014-2015 academic year.  

Among those awards are two new faculty honors for distinguished teaching by part-time and adjunct half-time faculty. The two award recipients are:

•    Christopher Kardaras, lecturer in computer science, received the Distinguished Teaching Award for part-time faculty. He has worked at the College for 27 years and earned an M.S.T. and M.S. from the University of Illinois-Chicago.

•    Linda Ogden Hagen ’72, adjunct associate professor of music, received the Distinguished Teaching Award for adjunct half-time faculty. A faculty member since 1986, she received an M.M. from the College Conservatory of Music at the University of Cincinnati.   

Five award recipients—three faculty and two staff members—were presented with endowed awards established in memory of two North Central College alumni—Clarence F. Dissinger, Class of 1921, and his sister Ruth C. Dissinger Althaus, Class of 1922. These award recipients are:

•    Amy Buxbaum, associate professor of speech communication, received the Clarence F. Dissinger Award for Senior Faculty. A member of the faculty since 2005, she received tenure in 2011. She earned her Ph.D. from the University of Colorado.

•    Neil Nicholson, assistant professor of mathematics, received the Clarence F. Dissinger Award for Junior Faculty. Nicholson joined the faculty in 2010 and earned his Ph.D. from The University of Iowa.

•    Shelly Porcellino ’05, director of grants, received the Ruth C. Dissinger Award for Administrative Manager. She came to North Central in 2010 and earned a master’s of technical and scientific communication (M.T.S.C.) from Miami University.

•    Sean Walsh, director of building and grounds, received the Ruth C. Dissinger Award for Administrative Support Staff. After working 20 years in construction as a foreman/superintendent, he came to North Central in 2008 as main campus team leader.

•    Matthew Pons, associate professor of mathematics, received the Dissinger award for Outstanding Faculty Scholarship for his publication of an advanced-level book, titled “Real Analysis for the Undergraduate: With an Invitation to Functional Analysis.” This award also recognizes the publication of numerous articles and presentations at professional conferences. A member of the faculty since 2007, he received tenure in 2013. He earned his Ph.D. from the University of Virginia.