Two Black Hawk College employees recently received the Golden Apple Award from the college’s Phi Theta Kappa chapter at the Quad-Cities Campus.
During the honor society’s Fall 2023 Induction Ceremony, the Golden Apple Award was presented to Dr. Irene Apanovitch-Leites, choral music instructor, and Dr. Jay Pearce, history/political science professor.
Dr. Leites was nominated by PTK student Victor Cardoza and Dr. Pearce was nominated by PTK students Claire Adolphson and Zach Hemmen.
Dr Leites “has gone above and beyond what I expected from a professor,” Cardoza said. “(She has) shown me that what I set out to achieve is possible for myself.”
“Dr. Pearce is a wonderful professor who is very passionate about what he teaches,” Adolphson said. “(He) cares deeply about his students and their success.”
“(He) allows students to respectfully ask, debate and challenge him and each other without scrutiny,” Hemmen said. “(Dr. Pearce) has great lectures and creates personal connections to the concepts and how they work in our lives.”
Each fall and spring semester, PTK students at the Quad-Cities Campus are asked to recommend faculty or staff members for the Golden Apple Award.
Other nominees were Ken Nickels nominated by Victoria Gray, Jana Koch (a past recipient) nominated by Zach Hemmen, and LaVerne Logan nominated by Michelle Frerich.