Rochester Community and Technical College is proud to announce Chemistry Instructor Heather Sklenicka, Ph.D., and Art + Design Instructor Simon Huelsbeck, MFA, have been selected to receive the College’s 2021-2022 Outstanding Educator Award. Instructors were nominated by faculty, students, and staff, and completed an extensive portfolio of their work and accomplishments at RCTC to be considered for this honor.
One student nominator wrote “Simon Huelsbeck is an amazing and very skilled professor. He definitely is one of the best professors I ever had. He is able to convey all his knowledge in an efficient, simple, and motivating way. Other than that, he is very patient, comprehensive, and encouraging, making students feel more confident and having a positive attitude towards their works.”
Heather Sklenicka’s student nominator wrote “As clichéd as it is, words cannot describe how much gratitude and respect I have for you. For as long as I can remember I have known that I would want to work in a science field of some sort. You have taught me and my fellow classmates how to have fun in our field and specialty whilst maintaining the discipline it requires to further our knowledge and opportunities for success. I would like to say that you have motivated me to rekindle my drive on my collegiate journey and future career.“
Portfolios for both instructors will be forwarded to the Minnesota State Board of Trustees as finalists for the Board of Trustees Award for Excellence and will be honored along with colleagues from across the state at a system-wide celebration in April of 2022.