Contact: Melissa Reifert
March 9, 2007

MECC Now Accepting Nominations for Coughlin Clark Master Teacher Award

Last spring at Mountain Empire Community College’s annual Celebration of People event, Developmental English Professor Rhoda Bliese was pleasantly surprised to learn that she was the very first recipient of the W.H. and Callie Anne Coughlin Clark Master Teacher Award. The Clarks traveled the long trip from their home in Chicago to Big Stone Gap to present Bliese with the award, which recognizes not only outstanding teaching at MECC, but also provides the annual honoree with a cash award of $1500.

The Clarks are graduates of Big Stone Gap High School. Before his retirement, H. was of CEO of Nalco Chemical, while Callie Anne led a great number of civic and philanthropic efforts in Chicago and beyond. Fond memories of their families, teachers, neighbors, and friends in the Big Stone Gap area, an active interest in MECC, and a desire to help students from their home community led them to endow the Master Teacher award at the college.

The MECC Foundation is now accepting nominations for the 2007 honoree. Students, college employees, as well as individuals in the community, may nominate a teaching faculty member at MECC. The recipient will be selected based on four criteria including teaching and supporting students, contributing to an academic discipline, service to the college, and service to the community.

Nominations for the award should be submitted by March 31, 2007 to the MECC Foundation Office, 3441 Mountain Empire Road, Big Stone Gap, Virginia 24219. Nominations will be reviewed and judged by President Terrance Suarez and his staff. The 2007 recipient will once again be announced at the college’s Celebration of People program this spring. For more details on the nomination criteria for the award, visit the MECC homepage at www.mecc.edu.

W.H. and Callie Ann Clark met with MECC Developmental English Professor Rhoda Bliese and President Terrance Suarez last spring to present Bliese with the Master Teacher award, which they endowed to recognize excellence in teaching at the college. The MECC Foundation is now accepting nominations for the 2007 honoree.

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