Delta College Celebrates 58th Annual Employee Awards

Delta College / News / Delta College Celebrates 58th Annual Employee Awards

April 11, 2023

Kristin Cornelius and Michael Finelli are recipients of the Bergstein Award for Teaching Excellence.

Delta College is celebrating the invaluable work of its faculty and staff for the 58th Annual Employee Awards held on Wednesday, April 19, at 1pm in the Pioneer Gym on the main campus.

This year’s honorees include two faculty members who will receive the prestigious Bergstein Award for Teaching Excellence, which recognizes the commitment to teaching excellence, the highest honor a faculty can receive. The recipients, Michael Finelli and Kristin Cornelius, were chosen for the award by a vote from students and faculty.

Finelli, an associate professor of residential construction and Delta graduate, joined the college in 1994. He first received the Bergstein Award in 2002 and was shocked to be announced as a recipient again, but he says this current recognition is just as meaningful, if not more.

“This second award means a lot to me. I am nearing the end of my career and have been asking myself if I can still connect with the students the way I once had. So, winning the Bergstein at this time set my mind at ease and made me feel proud,” Finelli said.

Cornelius, a professor of English, who joined Delta in 2011, says she was “completely surprised” by the honor and that her teaching approach aligns with the award’s recognition of “excellence.”

“I’ve been so lucky to have incredible mentors and colleagues throughout the 21 years I’ve been an educator, and I owe these experts and friends thanks and credit for the teaching style I have curated over my career,” Cornelius said. “Most importantly, my students have been my best teacher. They have shown me the journey I’ve needed to go on to become a more impactful and effective teacher.”

Congratulations to the following individuals

Bergstein Award for Teaching Excellence
Kristin Cornelius (Bay City), Professor of English
Michael Finelli (Fenton), Associate Professor of Residential Construction

Ormond E. Barstow and Ludo K. Frevel Award for Scholarly Achievement
Alexandros Goudas (Midland), Associate Professor of English

Rollin M. Gerstacker Award for Innovative Use of Technology in Teaching
Kimberly Wells (Saginaw), Associate Professor of Electronic Media

Don Laughner Award for Creative Change and the Innovation of the Year Award (from the League for Innovation in the Community College)
James Czyzewski (Essexville) OIT Director, User Services; Christopher Hausbeck (Mt. Pleasant), Associate Professor of Physical Therapist Assistant; Lori Kloc (Freeland), Health Simulation Educator; Pamela Livingston (Fenton), Assistant Professor of Dental Hygiene; Gregory Luczak (Bay City), Assistant Director of Business Services & Mitch Ziehmer (Auburn), OIT Support Technician

Eric “Q” Beckman Adjunct Faculty Award for Exceptional Service
Spring Schafer (San Diego, CA), Adjunct Faculty of Social Sciences

Lynn Heatley Award for Distinguished Service by an Adjunct Faculty Member
Suzanne Brown (Midland), Adjunct Faculty of English

Executive Committee for Administrative and Professional Staff (ECAPS) Team Excellence Award
Teaching/Learning Center
Preston Clark (Bay City), Technologist/Learning Consultant; Sean Hill (Clare), Learning Consultant; Danielle Petersen (Midland), Manager of TLC & Testing Center; Kaitlin Sanford (Saginaw) Learning Consultant; Laura Schmidt (Bay City), Student Development Specialist; Justin Sinicki (Bay City), Student Development Specialist; Joshua Zieroff (Saginaw), Learning Consultant

ECAPS Willie E. Thompson Outstanding A/P Service Award
Kristy Nelson (St. Louis), Director of Downtown Centers

Support Staff Excellence Award
Preston Clark (Bay City), Technologist/Learning Consultant

Congratulations to the following employees for their years of service

25 Years

Johnny Aguilar (Saginaw), General Maintenance
Stuart Barbier (Bay City), Professor of English
Christopher Curtis (Midland), Professor of Psychology
Marshall Fulmer (Saginaw), Producer Director
Kara Jimenez (St. Charles), Professor of Lifelong Wellness
Terence Oleary (Saginaw), Operations Manager
Karen Randolph (Midland), Professor of English
David Urbaniak (Bay City), Student Success Advisor

20 Years

Thomas Boudrot (Midland), Associate Professor of Political Science
Laura Dull (Coleman), Professor of History
Michael Faleski (Midland), Professor of Physics
Beth Heyart (Midland), Professor of Communication
Gregory Teter (Saginaw), Associate Professor of Criminal Justice

15 Years

Kristine Burch (Saginaw), Financial Aid Advisor
Betheen Glady-Teschendorf (Birch Run), Professor of English
Kristopher Howery (Midland), Associate Professor of Computer Science & Information Technology
Jason Lijewski (Midland), Associate Professor of Management
James Miller (Chesaning), Assistant Professor of Automotive Service Technology
Jennifer Niester-Mika (Freeland), Professor of English
Lisa O’Laughlin (Saginaw), Associate Professor of Office Administration & Technology
Michelle Raube (Saginaw), Dean of Student Success
Donovan Traverse (Garner, NC), Professor of Surgical Technology
Eric Wiesenauer (Auburn), Associate Professor of Mathematics
Maggie Zimmerman (Breckenridge), Instructor of Biology
Lori Ziolkowski (Auburn), Associate Professor of Management

10 Years

Andrea Bair (Midland), Associate Professor of Geology
Mark Brown (Midland), Associate Professor of English
Aron Drake (Midland), Associate Professor of Biology
Christopher Hausbeck (Mt. Pleasant), Associate Professor of Physical Therapist Assistant
Sheryl Jensen (Saginaw), Office Professional
Joseph Kaczmarek (Bay City), Business Services Specialist, Great Lakes Bay MI Works!
Beth Kelch (Midland) Associate Professor of Mathematics
Kimball Klein (Saginaw), Business Services Representative, Great Lakes Bay MI Works!
Addam Kraynak (Bay City), Student Success Advisor
Rachel Merkle (Auburn) Student Success Technologist/Communication Coordinator
Jeffery O’Deay (Saginaw), Radio Production Supervisor
Brent Pashak (Pinconning), Associate Professor of Welding
Rebecca Pierce (Birch Run), Associate Professor of Biology
Kara Reder (Fairgrove), Health Lab Assistant
Daniel Sabourin (Frankenmuth), Associate Professor of Respiratory Care
Kay Schuler (Reese), Administrative Assistant to the President
Joanna Twaro (Bay City), Office Professional

5 Years

Michael Brackrog (Clio), Public Safety Officer
Kevin Burow (Saginaw), Facility Controls Engineer
Lawrence Causley (Reese), Mechanical Maintenance Person
Angela Guy-Lee (Ann Arbor), Assistant Professor of Sociology
Tonya Hafoka (Freeland), Coordinator – Equity & Employee Development
Thomas MacDonald (Saginaw), Facilities Engineer
Mark Matuszewski (Midland), Employment Services Advisor, Greater Bay MI Works!
Phyllis Meeth (Bay City), Business Services Specialist
Christina Miller-Bellor (Mt. Morris), Assistant Professor of Sociology
Jill Mulders (Munger), Assistant Controller
Keith Proctor (Sterling), Assistant Professor of Welding
Susan Roche (Pigeon), Associate Dean of Business & Technology
Ricky Ruse (Bay City), General Trades
John Tissaw (Au Gres), Mechanical Maintenance Person
Joy Wilson (Saginaw), Employment Services Advisor, Greater Bay MI Works!
Donald Winter (Saginaw), Assistant Professor of English

By Ashley Terrell, Writer