COD Faculty and Staff Receive League of Excellence Awards

Three College of DuPage faculty and staff members are recipients of the 2020-2021 League for Innovation Excellence Awards. The award recognizes outstanding faculty, staff and leaders in the community college field who have made a significant difference in the lives of students and in the communities their colleges serve.

Honorees include Interim Dean of Student Development Nathania Montes, Manager of Accounts Receivable Michelle Resnick and English Professor Jason Snart.

College of DuPage Associate Vice President of Academic Partnerships and Learning Resources Cynthia Sims praised the educators for their commitment to student success.

“All of the honorees exemplify the important work being done at College of DuPage and are a testament to the role of education in improving students’ lives,” she said.

Montes was recognized for her inclusive and diverse approach to appealing to special population groups on campus, including underrepresented students, veterans and students in need of accommodations.

“Helping students feel supported and valued during their time at College of DuPage to ensure they succeed in their educational goals is my passion,” she said. “I believe in the power of education to transform the lives of individuals and work diligently to support students as they navigate their own paths."

Resnick was recognized for her instrumental role in designing, implementing and refining COD’s student payment plans that best meet students’ needs.

“The payment plans are only part of what Michelle and her team have accomplished,” Interim Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer Scott Brady said. “She and her team developed an open dialogue with the student body which encourages students to come to them for solutions to their payment options. In these uncertain times, Michelle has been a sound voice of support in the background of College of DuPage’s commitment to overall student success.”

Snart was acknowledged for his innovative teaching techniques and strategies, most notably his use of digital technology in the classroom to facilitate collaborative multimodal work.

“Innovation to me is not necessarily just about using new digital technologies, but instead, it is about identifying areas for improvement and working strategically and creatively to implement new practices, often by doing things very differently by breaking from past practices.”

The League for Innovation in the Community College is an international nonprofit

organization with a mission to cultivate innovation in the community college environment. For more than 50 years, the League has served as a catalyst for introducing and sustaining deep, transformational innovation within and across colleges and international borders to increase student success and institutional excellence.

College of DuPage is regionally accredited by the Higher Learning Commission. Serving approximately 21,000 students each term, College of DuPage is the largest public community college in the state of Illinois. The College grants seven associate degrees and offers more than 170 career and technical certificates in over 50 areas of study.