2023 Outstanding Faculty Awards

Heartland Community College has recognized a full-time and a part-time faculty member with the Outstanding Faculty Award. 

Jeremy Scott is the recipient of the 2023 Outstanding Full-Time Faculty Award. Josh Fitzgerald is the recipient of the 2023 Outstanding Part-Time Faculty Award. 

One Heartland Outstanding Full-Time and Part-Time Faculty Member are selected each year from student nominations. The Heartland Community College recipients are also submitted to the Illinois Community College Trustees Association for the statewide award. 

Jeremy Scott, an instructor of English, has led or been a part of several teams that received grants to help innovate curriculum at Heartland including “Advancing the Humanities at Community Colleges: an NEH Bridging Cultures Project” which was part of the Community College Humanities Association National Bridging Cultures Conference in Washington D.C., and served as the point person for the association at the College. 

Scott began his teaching career over twenty years ago while working toward his Master’s Degree as a Sutherland Fellow in Creative Writing at Illinois State University. He holds a M.S. in English, Creative Writing, and a Bachelor of Arts in English from Illinois State University. 

Among the comments nominating Scott was, “Jeremy’s enthusiasm for teaching, combined with his love of words and humor, carry over into his classrooms and his committee work. His dedication to allowing students to take control of their own learning continues to pay dividends for those students for years to come.” 

Adjunct Professor of Communications Joshua Fitzgerald received an M.S. in Communication from Western Illinois University and he is expected to receive his Ed.D Communication Education from Illinois State University this summer. He is also currently serving as an instructor in residence at Bradley University.

“Heartland is fortunate that Josh loves community college students and chooses to teach for us regularly,” said Carol Hahn, Associate Dean of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences at Heartland. “Josh often goes above and beyond. He volunteers readily and enthusiastically for opportunities at the college that others ignore. His students love and trust him – indeed we all do.” 

Both Outstanding Faculty Awardees will be recognized at the Heartland Community College Board of Trustees meeting on April 25, 2023.