Wayne Community College has recognized an outstanding faculty member with its highest honor.
Business and Accounting Department Chair Erin LeGrand is the recipient of the 2019 George E. Wilson Excellence in Teaching Award, which was presented during the college’s recent commencement exercises.
LeGrand has worked at WCC for more than a decade. She began at WCC in an adjunct instructor position, then served as business administration lead instructor, and was most recently promoted to Department Chair.
“I am very appreciative of the award and the things that were said about me,” LeGrand said. “I’m not a ‘look what I did’ person. I’m more behind the scenes.”
“It is a career high point, being recognized for my favorite part of my job, the teaching part, the interactions with students,” said LeGrand.
“Erin was nominated for the George E Wilson Excellence in Teaching award by her peers in the Business and Computer Technologies Division because she consistently stands out as an advocate for student success,” said her supervisor, Division Dean Tracy Schmeltzer. “Erin never shies away from doing what is in the best interest of her students and she can always be counted on to support the mission of the college.”
“Erin manages each situation and student with compassion and a genuine concern for the overall learning experience, said fellow instructor Katharine Jarman. “Her encouragement and work ethic make me want to be the best instructor I can be.”
“I have witnessed her staying after class helping students with their work. I have observed her in the hallways engaging with her students about their classes. I believe Erin’s students’ successes are a pure indication of how they are encouraged and lead by a one-of-a-kind instructor,” colleague Haleigh Wilhide wrote in nominating her.
Derrick Luethje, a WCC business graduate who is now a University of Mount Olive student and a WCC recruiter, is one of the students who LeGrand guided.
“Mrs. LeGrand helped push me out of my comfort zone and helped me decide on my goals in life,” he said. “With her help I was able to decide I want to give back to the community and become a community college instructor one day.”
She is pursuing a second master’s degree in accounting, adding to her bachelor’s and master’s degrees, both in business administration. “She feels it is important in her role as department chair that she be eligible to teach any class in her department as the need arises,” said Schmeltzer.
LeGrand received a framed certificate, monetary stipend, and the opportunity to attend a National Institute for Staff and Organizational Development International Conference on Teaching Excellence.
This is the 34th year in which the award has been presented. It was established with the Foundation of Wayne Community College by an anonymous donor to honor the late George E. Wilson. Mr. Wilson was known for his service to others and his contributions as a WCC trustee and civic leader in Wayne County and the state.
“A committee of community leaders strives to select a recipient of this honor who continues Mr. Wilson’s legacy,” said Foundation Executive Director Adrienne Northington. “The committee definitely succeeded in its task this year.”
LeGrand will be the College’s nominee for the 2020 Excellence in Teaching Award given by the State Board of Community Colleges.
Wayne Community College is a public, learning-centered institution with an open-door admission policy located in Goldsboro, N.C. As it works to develop a highly skilled and competitive workforce, the college serves 12,000 individuals annually as well as businesses, industry, and community organizations with high quality, affordable, accessible learning opportunities, including more than 70 college credit programs. WCC’s mission is to meet the educational, training, and cultural needs of the communities it serves.