Lone Star College-North Harris professor Katie Hurter was recently selected as a recipient of the Roueche Excellence Award.
John E. and Suanne D. Roueche, leaders in the community college field and early proponents of the idea that teachers have major responsibility for how well students perform in the classroom, have been partners and friends of the League for Innovation in the Community College for over thirty-five years.
In recognition of the long tradition of excellence in community college teaching and leadership, the League established the John & Suanne Roueche Excellence Awards in 2012. These awards are open to League Alliance member institutions to celebrate outstanding contributions and leadership by community college faculty and staff. Recipients are recognized in a series of activities and promotions, and honored at special events at the League's Innovations conference each spring.
Recipients of the Roueche Excellence Award are selected through a process that determines the Lone Star College Faculty Excellence Awards. After accepting a nomination by a student or colleague, there is a rigorous application process, which requires examples of teaching and evaluations that are sent to the Faculty Excellence committee for review. The committee observes and assesses the teaching of all the applicants and points from a variety of criteria to make the final selection.
Hurter has been a professor of English for speakers of other languages at LSC-North Harris for 17 years, and has been making a great impact on campus and in the lives of her students.
From a young age, Hurter had begun to develop a passion for reading and learning about different cultures. As she was completing her master’s in teaching English as a second language, Hurter taught in Italy, Malaysia and Japan.
“While I was teaching young bankers and government future “high flyers” in Japan, I realized that when I came home to Houston, I wanted to work where people who really needed my help, where I could make a significant difference,” said Hurter. “At LSC-North Harris, I work with people from all over the world with various reasons for being here, who work hard and teach me something about their cultures, lives, and dreams.”
Hurter was presented with the Roueche Excellence Award at the Innovations Conference in Boston, March 8-11, and was also recognized at the Lone Star College Employee Awards Ceremony in February.
“This award is a very satisfying acknowledgment of years of focused, daily effort. Although teaching at the college is deeply engaging and fulfilling, it is arduous, sometimes grueling work. Planning, grading stacks of assignments, helping students, participating in essential committee work—it consumes our lives. Our enjoyment of our subject matter, the positive response from our students, and the long-term relationships with colleagues, all sustain our efforts, but it’s personal, quiet sustenance, usually. The Roueche Excellence Award is a big recognition and celebration of the efforts of all of us out toiling in this field of teaching, a time to reflect and come together in appreciation, a chance for further inspiration,” added Hurter.
Lone Star College-North Harris is located at 2700 W.W. Thorne Drive, one-half mile south of FM 1960 East, between Aldine-Westfield and Hardy Roads. For more information about the college, call 281.618.5400 or visit LoneStar.edu/NorthHarris.
Lone Star College has been opening doors to a better community for more than 40 years. Founded in 1973, LSC remains steadfast in its commitment to student success and credential completion. Today, with almost 83,000 students in credit classes, and a total enrollment of more than 95,000, Lone Star College is the largest institution of higher education in the Houston area and one of the fastest-growing community colleges in the nation. Stephen C. Head, Ph.D., is the chancellor of LSC, which consists of six colleges including LSC-CyFair, LSC-Kingwood, LSC-Montgomery, LSC-North Harris, LSC-Tomball and LSC-University Park, seven centers, LSC-University Center at Montgomery, LSC-University Center at University Park, Lone Star Corporate College, and LSC-Online. To learn more visit LoneStar.edu.
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