Young earns Isothermal’s top teaching award
By: Mike Gavin
Published: May 23, 2022
SPINDALE (May 18, 2022) – Carolyn Young, the Broadcast Production Technology instructor at Isothermal Community College, earned the institution’s highest teaching honor this week.
The 2022 Robert Wendell Eaves Distinguished Teaching Award was presented to Young by Dr. Margaret Annunziata, Isothermal’s president, at the 2022 Curriculum Commencement on Monday. Young has just completed her seventeenth year at Isothermal. She was nominated by several students.
One student wrote that Young excels at “helping students when they are struggling or helping them figure out their path as an advisor. She is amazing.”
This instructor has spent many hours working to better Isothermal and her students. She spent 20 years working in the broadcast field in almost every position in the control room and behind the camera. She brings a wealth of experience and knowledge of this industry to the classroom. Before she came to Isothermal, she was the commercial production manager at the ABC affiliate in Pittsburgh, the 19th largest news market in the country.
A selection committee member noted, “Her personality is infectious, and it is easy to understand why students would nominate her for this award. She said she doesn’t see herself as a teacher, instead as someone who works alongside her students. This humility is admirable and may be why others see her teaching prowess more than she does herself.”
Young employees many active learning techniques in her work including letting her talented students produce news shows and much more content on the college’s YouTube page at www.youtube.com/isothermalteevee.
As Annunziata announced the award, she turned to look for Young among the faculty members on stage. After a brief delay, Young emerged from the control room at the back of the auditorium where she was busy directing the filming and livestreaming of the ceremony by her current students.The Robert Wendell Eaves Distinguished Teaching Award is given each year to an instructor who demonstrates excellence in teaching and a true zeal for service to students. It was established by the Eaves family in 1982 to honor the late Dr. Robert Wendell Eaves and his distinguished career in education.
Dr. Eaves’ philosophy and credo on the importance of teaching was simple: “A zeal for service is the first requirement of professionalization. Without a zeal for service, our efforts as educators are void and helpless. We cannot expect remuneration commensurate with our achievements. Our remuneration comes largely from the joy of seeing people grow strong, useful and intelligent.This is the best life has to offer. No greater life can anyone live.”
Each year, the recipient is selected by a committee composed of past award recipients from nominations submitted by students, alumni, college personnel and members of the general public. Any full-time employee of Isothermal who spends at least 25 percent of his or her time on the job in teaching is eligible for the award. Other past winners have included Nancy Womack, Ruth Boehning, Vivian Sitton, Clara Fowler, Chris Koone, Carol Jones, Pete Golden, Aubrey Calton, Bill McDaniel, Dean Byrd, Gary Shipley, Mike Croussore, Lowery Luckadoo, Jay Coomes, Rhonda Davis, Cathy Alexander, Debbie Puett, Scott Bradey, Jeremiah Councill, Donna Harrison, Tim Beaver, Brett Parker, Amber Thompson, Melissa Johnson, Nathan Fisher, Scott Hutchins, Loreen Smith, Marisa Sudano, Jeremy Burris, Rebecca Haney, Bret Watson, and last year’s winner, Alice McCluney.
The other Eaves finalists this year were Kim Wawzysko and Kimberly Snyder.