Bestowed yearly, the Outstanding Faculty Award (OFA) shines light on faculty members who have
excelled in teaching, research, and public service within the mission of their institution. While time may
pass, the distinction that this award carries remains forever with those honored by the State Council of
Higher Education for Virginia (SCHEV).
The OFA has provided opportunities for me to engage with members of academia beyond my college
environment and has influenced my professional and personal journey since my nomination in ways that
I could never have perceived. From the preparation of the nomination packet, which allowed me to
conscientiously put onto paper accomplishments, research and service that I had not previously taken
the time to identify to the sudden realization of the importance of this recognition when recipients
received a standing ovation from the Commonwealth’s legislature, I have been on a journey of selfdiscovery and heightened awareness of what it means to be an OFA honoree.
I will never forget the feeling of representing my colleagues, not only those from New River Community
College, but those from across the VCCS when the State Board recognized this OFA accomplishment at
their May meeting and the Chancellor asked me to say a few words. The dinner the night before allowed
me to meet members of the Board who have such an influence on the direction of the VCCS. Their
power to help elevate our students and consequently our society through their actions inspired me.
Rather than resting on the significance of this laurel as validation of my place in academia, it has forced
me to consider how to remain worthy of this honor.
When I was asked to be the Keynote Speaker for the VCCS New Faculty Seminar, I jumped on the
opportunity. The OFA gave me a voice to reach out to the next generation of faculty and share my own
vision of the world of teaching and learning. My experience of having been through the selection
process also opened up the door to serving on the peer review committee for the following year’s
selection of OFA recipients and to represent past winners at the 2015 OFA Workshop in a panel
discussion and question and answer session.
If I have one suggestion for future nominees, feel honored by your nomination and seek to invest your
time and energy into the process. Your respective institutions will help you along the way. While some
nominees are awarded the OFA on the first try, there are outstanding faculty members across the
Commonwealth and sometimes it takes more than one try to be recognized. If you have been
nominated, congratulations for being recognized for your overall contribution to the mission of your
college. You are an inspiration to your students and instrumental in preparing them to serve through
their respective fields their community, state, and world.
If you want further information about the OFA process, please go to
http://www.schev.edu/AdminFaculty/OFAprogramIndex.asp to view the OFA Workshop video.