Randolph-Macon College President Robert R. Lindgren and Provost Alisa J. Rosenthal have announced the winners of the College’s most distinguished awards for faculty and staff.

Samuel Nelson Gray Distinguished Professor Award

The Samuel Nelson Gray Distinguished Professor Award is the College’s highest faculty honor. Established by the late Virginia Clark Gray Backus in memory of her husband, an alumnus and former trustee of Randolph-Macon College, the honor is bestowed on a faculty member or senior administrator who has made a distinguished contribution to the College.

President Lindgren announced not one, but two, awardees at the May 14 faculty meeting. 

Dr. Nora Green, Professor of Chemistry

Lindgren celebrated Dr. Nora Green for her commitment to students through innovative teaching, behind-the-scenes committee service, and agility across the chemistry curriculum. 

Green joined the RMC faculty in 2004. She teaches not only in her field of biochemistry, but also medicinal chemistry, organic chemistry, and quantitative chemical analysis. Her research has been supported by two internal RMC grants to support her work, and she has supervised over 20 research students.

In the classroom, Lindgren lauded her for teaching “rigorously, innovatively, and fearlessly.” Green is also well-respected among the faculty for her roles on the Committee on Curriculum in the past and her leadership on the General Education Curriculum more recently, where Lindgren described her as “a tireless advocate of the RMC general education curriculum that serves as the liberal arts foundation that helps us develop the mind and character of each RMC student as our mission so explicitly states.”

Dr. Michael Fenster, Professor of Environmental Studies

Dr. Michael Fenster joined the RMC faculty in 1999, and served as the Director of the Environmental Studies program from 2006–2023 and as the Stephen H. Watts Professor in the Physical Sciences 2012–2022. He will retire at the end of the 2023-24 academic year. 

In conveying the Samuel Nelson Gray award, Lindgren called Fenster an accomplished scientist, citing his prolific record of research grants and publications in top-tier journals. He often collaborates with colleagues at R1 institutions. Demonstrating his commitment as an educator, many of his 47 peer-reviewed papers are co-authored with RMC students.

Quoting his nominator, President Lindgren emphasized Fenster’s approach to teaching and mentoring, remarking that “he sets students on an impossible task and then shows them that they can do it, thereby getting more out of students than they know they are capable of.”

Dr. Fenster has been nominated three times for the SCHEV Outstanding Faculty Award, once for the Carnegie U.S. Professor of the Year Award, and has been honored with the United Methodist Church Exemplary Teacher Award in 2008.

Thomas Branch Award for Excellence in Teaching

The Thomas Branch Award is a student-selected honor presented to faculty members. Its selection is based on the nominations and then votes of the RMC senior class.

Dr. Michael Fischbach, Professor of History

A member of the RMC faculty since 1992, Dr. Michael Fischbach received his third Thomas Branch Award, having previously won the honor in 1995 and 2018. An accomplished and popular teacher, he is known for his student-directed learning and open classroom environment.

“Students remark on their appreciation for his empowering them to grapple critically with current issues,” Provost Rosenthal remarked. “They praise the way he challenges student assumptions while still providing a respectful learning environment that promotes free discussion of ideas.”

Dr. Jill Horohoe, Visiting Assistant Professor of History

Dr. Jill Horohoe received her second Thomas Branch Award in three years, having previously won the honor in 2022. She joined the RMC faculty in 2020 and swiftly became known for her boundless energy and the ways in which she engages students.

“Students regularly note the positive environment of her classroom, citing in particular her ability to facilitate conversations that enable them to expand our emotions and intellectual capabilities, and to allow us to connect to and understand each other better,” Rosenthal remarked.

Dr. La Toria Tookes, Senior Lecturer of Computer Science

Dr. La Toria Tookes received her second Thomas Branch Award, having previously won the honor in 2021. She joined the RMC faculty in 2017 and in addition to her exceptional teaching, is involved in service across campus. In particular, she has “been the linchpin” in the College’s improved support for transfer students.

“Students routinely praise her as organized, compassionate, caring, and responsive,” Provost Rosenthal said. “They comment on her evident love for teaching and her talent for making students feel connected and emotionally supported.”

United Methodist Church Exemplary Teacher of the Year Award

The United Methodist Exemplary Teacher Award is awarded to a faculty member who demonstrates excellence in teaching, civility, and concern for students and colleagues; commitment to value-centered education; and service to students, the institution, and the community. Its recognition comes from the Board of Higher Education and Ministry of The United Methodist Church joining with Methodist-related colleges and universities to honor the service of faculty.

Dr. Mine Eren, Professor of Film Studies and German

Dr. Mine Eren teaches a wide range of courses across two different programs, Film Studies and German. In addition to a prolific and broad range, Eren’s teaching is innovative, creating courses such as Business German and Diversity in Germany to connect language and culture classes with the interests and needs of students in business and international studies courses.

“Students remark on her authentic care for them and the deep rapport she established that promotes a safe learning environment for them to grow and thrive intellectually,” Provost Rosenthal said. “She actively seeks out and provides hands-on experiences for students and regular lunch meetings to practice German, to discuss Turkish Cinema, or to talk about potential research projects.”

Marilyn J. Gibbs Dedicated Service Award

The Marilyn J. Gibbs Dedicated Service was created by a generous gift from former Dean of Admissions and Financial Aid Steven Nape and his wife Diane and is given annually to a staff member for outstanding service to and support of the mission of the College. The award is named in honor of Marilyn J. Gibbs, who served RMC for 18 years in a variety of roles, including as a professor of sociology and as registrar.

Diane Colquitt, Senior Systems Analyst

Diane Colquitt has worked in the RMC’s Information Technology Services office for nearly a decade, playing a crucial behind-the-scenes role in the operations of the College.

Executive Assistant to the President John McManus ’84 quoted Colquitt’s nominator in presenting the award, noting that “her responsiveness and willingness to help is endless. What is most astounding, is that she does all of this knowing she will rarely—if ever—be the public face of the projects she completes.”

Colquitt was critical to RMC’s academic transition in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, and has supported efforts to streamline the College’s work around curriculum management, registration, an online academic catalog, and use of platforms like MyMaconWeb and Jenzabar.