Delta College Celebrates 60th Annual Employee Awards

Delta College / News / Delta College Celebrates 60th Annual Employee Awards

April 08, 2025

2025 Bergstein Award recipients Beth Kelch and Trent Wade

2025 Bergstein Award recipients: Beth Kelch (left) and Trent Wade

For the 60th year, Delta College recognizes the outstanding achievements of its faculty and staff members and celebrates their years of service during its annual Employee Awards.

This year’s honorees include two faculty members who will receive the prestigious Bergstein Award for Teaching Excellence. This award is the highest honor a faculty can receive and recognizes their commitment to teaching excellence. Beth Kelch, professor of mathematics and Trent Wade, professor of foreign languages, were chosen for the award by a vote from students and faculty.

Kelch began her career at Delta College over 20 years ago as a structured learning assistant, advancing to a full-time teaching role in 2013. Outside the classroom, she prioritizes work that supports her colleagues through a variety of avenues such as her time writing the TGIF newsletter, hosting book discussions or helping develop course materials.

“I am so very grateful for the opportunities to serve the Delta College community,” shares Kelch. “It is indeed a privilege and a gift to have a career which brings such joy, satisfaction and value.”

Wade earned his bachelor’s degree from Grand Valley State University and his master’s degree in special education from the University of Tennessee. He has been with Delta for nearly 14 years and founded the Deaf Studies certificate program launched in the fall 2020 semester. Wade also supports community art programs serving as an ASL consultant for the Vanishing Elephant Players and as an advisory board member for Studio 23/The Arts Center in Bay City.

CONGRATULATIONS TO THE FOLLOWING INDIVIDUALS

Bergstein Award for Teaching Excellence

Beth Kelch (Midland), professor of mathematics;

Trent Wade (Bay City), professor of foreign languages

Ormond E. Barstow and Ludo K. Frevel Award for Scholarly Achievement

Mark Brown (Midland), professor of English

Don Laughner Award for Creative Change and the Innovation of the Year Award (from the League for Innovation in the Community College)

Emily Clement (Midland) associate director of Transfer Partnerships; Maureen Donegan (Davisburg) professor of psychology; Laura Dull (Coleman) professor of history; Amy French (Saginaw) professor of history; David Hopkins (Frankenmuth) dean of Transfer Programs and Online Learning; Kimberly Katzer (Bentley) registrar; Eric Wiesenauer (Auburn) professor of mathematics

Eric “Q” Beckman Adjunct Faculty Award for Exceptional Service

Jeffrey Carpenter (Saginaw), Adjunct Faculty of Art

Lynn Heatley Award for Distinguished Service by an Adjunct Faculty Member

Anthony Depelsmaeker (Freeland), adjunct faculty of welding

Executive Committee for Administrative and Professional Staff (ECAPS) Team Excellence Award

Financial Aid
Kristine Burch (Saginaw), financial aid advisor; Janina Countegan (Saginaw) financial aid advisor; Ryan Goodrow (Saginaw) technologist/financial aid advisor; Katie Kalkman (Saginaw) financial aid advisor; Tenesha Marselis Blair (Saginaw) financial aid office professional; Eric Merkle (Auburn) financial aid advisor; James Quinn (Bay City) financial aid advisor; Danni Savage (Auburn) financial aid office professional; Elvina Sika (Saginaw) assistant director of Financial Aid

ECAPS Willie E. Thompson Outstanding A/P Service Award

Danielle Petersen (Midland), manager of the TLC and Testing Center

Support Staff Excellence Award

Sean Hill (Clare), Learning and Technology consultant

Congratulations to the following employees for their years of service

40 Years

Timothy Light (Reese), telecom/building controls specialist

35 Years

William Carter (Saginaw), general maintenance
Thomas Kienbaum (Bay City), mechanical maintenance
Phoebe Lutz (Bay City), professor of mathematics
Meshell Matthews-Mathis (Saginaw), public safety communications specialist

30 Years

David Baskind (Saginaw), professor of psychology
Dawn Jurik (Saginaw), office professional

25 Years

Kimberly Boldt (Midland), associate professor of sonography
Wendy Burns (Saginaw), associate professor of biology
Wendy Childs (Bay City), director of Human Resources
Dawn DeCoe (Midland), public safety communications specialist
Kevin Dehne (Saginaw), associate professor of physics
Cynthia Grether (Midland), instructor of management
Monica Hernandez-Alaniz (Essexville), assistant director of Downtown Saginaw
Sherrill Irish (Clio), administrative office professional
Carla Murphy (Flushing), professor of lifelong wellness
Randall Nichols (Kawkawlin), associate professor of mathematics
Felicia Peters (Saginaw), professor of computer science and information technology
Cynthia Reyes (Saginaw), admissions advisor
Jeri Sinicki (Bay City), office professional
Andrea Ursuy (Bay City), executive director of Administrative Services and Institutional Effectiveness
Jeffrey Vande Zande (Midland), professor of English

20 Years

Pammy Behmlander (Bay City), bookstore specialist
Jill Delaney (Bay City), administrative office professional
Donna Giuliani (Blanchard), professor of sociology
Denise Hill (Bay City), professor of English
Matthew Hock (Columbiaville), chief engineer
Christine Horn (Munger), associate professor of nursing
Jonathan Majchrzak (Bay City), associate professor of lifelong wellness
Wendy Martin (Midland), administrative office professional
Mark Mitchell (Saginaw), professor of economics
Robert Moore (Flushing), associate professor of political science
Elizabeth Ullrich (Grand Blanc), associate professor of political science
Ski VanderLaan (Bay City), professor of accounting
Kevin Wyzkiewicz (Bay City), associate professor of computer science and information technology

15 Years

Darci Doll (Saginaw), associate professor of philosophy
Ann Dore (Bay City), associate professor of nursing
Amanda Hammond (Freeland), web content marketing coordinator
Matthew Murphy (Midland), TV operations producer
Tiffany Patterson (Saginaw), employment services advisor - Great Lakes Bay MI Works!
Andrew Rieder (Owosso), associate professor of art
Gwen Serbus (Montrose), development manager
Lauren Smith (Bay City), professor of English
Sheryl Smith (Saginaw), bookstore specialist
Angela Trabalka (Saginaw), associate professor of English
Meaghan Walraven (Essexville), office professional
Kimberly Wells (Saginaw), professor of electronic media
Carol Whittaker (Midland), librarian - reference

10 Years

Robert Battinkoff (Brant), director of Public Safety
David Bontekoe (Bay City), planetarium assistant
Michael Evans (Mt. Pleasant), associate professor of history
Alison Ginter (Shepherd), BEDI coordinator
Darrin Johnson (Burton), associate director of Recruitment and Employee Development
Katie Kalkman (Saginaw), financial aid advisor
Daren Kench (Saginaw), assistant director of Workforce Strategies
Wallace Minard (Essexville), associate professor of automotive service education
Mike Murray (Essexville), astronomer and planetarium/learning center manager
Suzanne Paris (Freeland), communications specialist
LeAnn Reif (Auburn), associate professor of nursing
Justin Scheidler (Bay City), CST lab technician
Barbara Syed (Sanford), associate professor of office administration and technology
Melissa Wallace (Saginaw), assistant professor of sociology

5 Years

Casey Armour (Midland), assistant professor of biology
Joseph Brent (Bentley), learning resource technician
Ericha Diegel (Midland), assistant professor of dental hygiene
Bryan Graybill (Gladwin), assistant professor of respiratory care
Jessica Herek (Bay City), assistant professor of nursing
Timothy McGuire (Breckenridge), assistant professor of biology
Talma Miller (Saginaw), CTE, special populations engagement and success coordinator
Brad Pretzer (Bay City), assistant professor of mathematics
James Quinn (Bay City), financial aid advisor
Holli Reinelt (Saginaw), human resources coordinator
Erica Robb (Midland), student success counselor
Ethan Short (Saginaw), assistant professor of accounting
Stacy Stremlow (Midland), admissions advisor
Amy Wegener (Auburn), assistant professor of nursing