CECI News
CECI Faculty Award Recipients for 2023
February 16, 2023
Congratulations to all the 2023 Faculty Award Recipients, and especially our CECI colleagues for being recognized for their excellence in teaching, outstanding contributions and service!
OUTSTANDING COMMUNITY SERVICE AWARD
Priscilla Kimboko, Ph.D., Professor of Community Leadership
and Development
Priscilla Kimboko is recognized for her exceptional work in
applied gerontology and leadership skills. Over the past 20 years, she
has served as Chair and Co-Chair on multiple organizational boards,
bringing experts together to collaborate on policy change for older
adults. For the past 17 years, she has organized the Annual Art and
Science of Aging Conference on Grand Valley’s campus, hosting hundreds
of participants and dozens of presenters. In addition to her
conference work, Kimboko has provided professional education on
essential health matters for older adults and served on committees and
advisory boards at the local, state, and national levels. Her
dedication and service have had a significant and positive impact on
the aging community in West Michigan.
INTERNATIONALIZATION AWARD
Paola León, Ph.D., Associate
Professor of of Social Work
Paola León’s commitment to internationalization is steadfast. She
brings passion and leadership to the classroom, her department, her
college, and Grand Valley. León has been integral in elevating
globalization into Grand Valley’s social work curriculum. Her
colleagues indicate she continually strives to infuse a global
perspective everywhere possible, whether leading students to El
Salvador and Guatemala or mentoring them in programs in Grand Rapids
and Ghana. She has designed and restructured social work courses to
focus on diversity, equity, and human rights, all with an
international focus. León is a Fulbright scholar and has conducted
significant work in Peru, including creating a partnership with Grand
Valley’s School of Social Work and San Marcos National University in
Lima, Peru.
PEW TEACHING WITH TECHNOLOGY AWARD
Richard Vandermolen, Ed.D., Associate Professor of Educational
Leadership and Counseling
As an instructor, Rick Vandermolen intentionally grounds the use
of technology in pedagogical research to meet his students’ needs,
including challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic. Whether using
mainstream technologies or exploring new and emerging ones, such as
Owl cameras and active learning classrooms, he leads with knowledge,
clear expectations, and strong guidance for students. A colleague
states, “Dr. Vandermolen is a role model of leadership in our program,
department, and college regarding technology integration…[and] active
dissemination.” From chairing his college’s technology committee to
his involvement in campus faculty learning communities, Vandermolen
embodies excellence in teaching with technology.
PEW TEACHING EXCELLENCE AWARD
Joseph Fisher, Ph.D., Professor of Teaching and Learning
Setting a new standard in Grand Valley’s special education
program, Joseph Fisher and colleagues embraced the purpose of
translating “research into classroom practice at a level that improves
the educational outcomes of children with disabilities.” In his words,
“Reorienting the program to this standard significantly changed my
teaching philosophy and dramatically challenged and enhanced my
approach to teaching.” This led to the design of purposeful clinical
teaching experiences for Grand Valley students, centered on this
ideal. Even in the pandemic, Fisher held this value as he and his
students successfully pivoted to online instruction. Reflecting on his
teaching excellence, an experienced colleague states, “his teaching is
simply brilliant.”