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Contact Lindi Forbes
Director Public Relations
Labette Community College
620-820-1212

LCC Distinguished Faculty Award

Labette Community College honored History instructor, Dr. John Mack, as the 2008 Distinguished Faculty Award winner. Mack was awarded the honor during the annual Student Awards ceremony last Thursday.

The Distinguished Faculty Award is presented annually. Faculty members must be nominated by students or LCC employees to be considered by the selection committee. Criteria for the award include teaching effectiveness, college service, student involvement, professional development and community service. All full-time faculty who have completed at least four years of full-time teaching at LCC are eligible to be nominated.

Mack teaches many courses including, American History Since 1877, World Civilization to 1500, Explorations in History, and Current World Affairs.

Students describe Mack as an instructor that ‘makes the courses more interesting. The focus is not on memorization, but rather on engaging our minds.’ Students also commented that Mack has ‘changed their academic life, and makes me feel smart.’

Mack said, “I realize that my ability to teach is fueled by my passion to learn. Learning and teaching go hand in hand – the passion that I have to learn and the excitement that comes with it are easily translated into a passion for teaching and an excitement that is fulfilled in and through helping others to learn.”

Dr. Mack has improved his teaching methods by taking courses to improve online instruction, taking training in understanding learning styles, implementing Service Learning into the classroom, and implementing video and digital technology into the classroom.

Dr. Mack is involved with students in many ways including being involved with the LCC PTK chapter, SGA, Operation Excel, and volunteers each semester to advise student-athletes.

He has also taken 30 credits of graduate level courses in American and Kansas History from the University of Kansas in the last four years while teaching at LCC, and anticipates receiving a Ph.D. in US History with a special emphasis in Kansas History in the spring of 2009.