LAKE WORTH — Ten of Palm Beach State College's most outstanding and innovative professors began the new academic year in the spotlight and with extra cash in their pockets.
The college presented its annual Gimelstob Student Choice Awards for Excellence in Teaching to eight full-time and adjunct professors during Convocation Aug. 21 where faculty and staff gathered to mark the start of the fall term.
The college also honored two professors chosen by their peers for the Stewart Distinguished Teaching Awards.
This year's Gimelstob honorees are:
Professor Garfield Basant, who teaches math at the Lake Worth campus; Dr. Anthony Piccolino, who teaches math at the Palm Beach Gardens campus; Professor Steven Stemle who teaches earth science and eology at the Belle Glade campus; Bobette Wolesensky, a former professor of speech on the Boca Raton campus who relocated to Nebraska this year; Dr. Robin Hoggins-Blake, who teaches management in the Bachelor of Applied Science degree program on the Lake Worth campus, and Carmen Panai, practical nursing instructor, Lake Worth.
The Gimelstob awards are named in honor of Herb and Elaine Gimelstob, a Boca Raton couple whose generosity helped establish the Gimelstob Faculty Award Endowment.
Winners were chosen after a nomination and online voting process open only to Palm Beach State’s 49,000 students.
The college received 329 nominations, and nominees were judged on the criteria of clear and easily understood instruction; organization and time management skills; enthusiasm and promoting active classroom learning; and use of innovative techniques, methods and technology in promoting student success.
Elise Harding, adjunct professor of reading at the Lake Worth campus, and Nancy Bustani, adjunct professor of psychology at the Palm Beach Gardens campus also were honored.
College leaders highlighted the teaching and classroom techniques of the professors as they accepted their gold medallions and monetary gifts of $500 for full-time faculty and $250 for part-time faculty.
The Stewart Distinguished Teaching Faculty Award, which includes a $5,000 prize, went to Professor Nicholas Larocca, who teaches English at the Belle Glade campus, including online classes, and Dr. Karin St. Pierre, who teaches English at the Palm Beach Gardens campus.
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