Southbury Resident, Dan Fuller Named 2017 Faculty of the Year at Gateway Community College

Gateway Community College (GCC) named Southbury resident Dan Fuller, professor and department chair of Automotive Technology, as Faculty of the Year 2017. Fuller’s efforts have transformed GCC’s Automotive Department. Under his leadership the automotive program’s enrollment has grown by 62% and has been recognized nationally by General Motors Automotive Service Education Program (GMASEP).

Among his other accomplishments, Fuller led the charge to create a dual-enrollment pathway for high school students majoring in automotive technology, and expanded the programs corporate partnerships. He also created a professional development center for high school automotive technology instructors. Because of the sophisticated labs and technologies, and strict environmental guidelines, Gateway’s Automotive Technology Center remains housed in North Haven where a state-of-the-art facility accommodates the latest vehicles used for student practicum.

The award was presented by GCC’s Dean of Administrative Affairs, Mark Kosinski for “[Fuller’s] dedication to serving the needs of faculty, staff, and students and exemplifying the program and GCC’s commitment to excellence in service.” For the past several years, GCC’s automotive programs were housed under GCC’s Engineering Technologies Division. With Fuller’s appointment as Chair, the automotive department will operate as a separate department.

Fuller is an alumnus of Greater New Haven State Technical College (later renamed Gateway Community College). He received a BS from Excelsior College and attended Keller Graduate School of Management. He spent 20 years with General Motors Corporation as a Senior Staff Instructor, Regional Service Engineer, and Regional Technical Manager for the Northeastern US. Fuller holds 50 Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) Certifications and was named ASE/Motor Age Magazine’s “Technician of the Year.”