Chatfield Instructor Honored as Outstanding Faculty

The Greater Cincinnati Consortium of Colleges and Universities (GCCCU) recently sponsored its 29th Annual Celebration of Teaching Luncheon at the Schiff Family Conference Center at Xavier University. For 29 years, GCCCU has gathered together the faculty award winners at its member institutions to honor them collectively for the great work they do in and out of the classroom.

David A. Armstrong, JD, President of Thomas More College and John P. Tafaro, JD, President of Chatfield College presided over the event by introducing officials from each GCCCU member who acknowledged their honoree.

Among this year’s honorees were Chatfield College instructor, James Woodford.

Woodford is the recipient of the 2016-17 Dean Agatha Fitzgerald OSU Excellence in Teaching award at Chatfield College.  He is the current George H. Jung, Jr. Chair in science, and has taught at Chatfield College since the fall 2011 semester. He has been the part-time Science Department Chair since the 2014-15 academic year. In addition to guiding the science department for the last few years, Jim has taught biology, ecology, zoology, and environmental science at both of Chatfield’s campuses in St. Martin, OH and in Cincinnati’s Over-the-Rhine neighborhood.

Jim began teaching at Chatfield because he was enamored with the college’s mission to help area students improve their lives through education and to empower students who might best succeed within its small college experience.

“Jim has done a wonderful job growing our science programs and engaging with students.  His energy and enthusiasm are contagious and inspiring to students and his faculty colleagues alike,” said Kenneth Spencer, Ph.D. Academic Dean at Chatfield College.

Each honoree was presented with a certificate of appreciation for their dedication to their institution and students and a gift card.

Janet Piccirillo, GCCCU’s Executive Director, stated “Of all GCCCU’s events, the Celebration of Teaching is my absolute favorite. Somewhere along the way, we all had a teacher who made a difference for us. It is exciting to have a room full of award-winning teachers and celebrate them as a group.”

The Greater Cincinnati Consortium of Colleges and Universities is a non-profit alliance of 18 regionally accredited institutions which advocates for higher education and uses the collective strength of its institutional members to positively influence the value of higher learning in the Greater Cincinnati region. It promotes professional development and opportunities for collaborative learning to advance the effectiveness of all members.