Published:
Dr. Jeremy Thomas, Claudia Alonzo and Isaac Stewart
English instructor Claudia Alonzo received the Outstanding Adjunct Faculty Member Award at the Board of Trustees’ April 2025 meeting. She was selected by the Black Hawk College Labor Management Council as part of the college’s new Employee Recognition Awards program.
Alonzo is committed to offering her students a rich, rewarding experience in her English classes. By incorporating diverse teaching methods – such as hands-on activities, collaborative group work and technology integration – she caters to different learning styles and promotes active engagement.
Her focus on building strong relationships with her students helps to establish trust and open communication, allowing students to express their ideas and concerns freely.
“Claudia gave amazing feedback and really made me feel confident in my writing abilities,” a former student posted on RateMyProfessors.com.
Torria Norman, interim vice president for instruction, said Alonzo has made valuable contributions to the English, Reading & Communication Department. She also has voluntarily served the Adjunct Faculty Union in the collective bargaining process and is the advisor for the Writers Guild student club.
She initially taught part time at Black Hawk College from 2013-18 then returned in January 2022.
Alonzo’s contributions as an adjunct faculty member are so valuable that she was brought on full time to help teach English courses while Norman serves as interim vice president. In January 2025, she was appointed to a one-semester, term-contract for Spring 2025.
The Employee Recognition Awards program is part of the Board of Trustees’ continuing effort to recognize outstanding contributions of full-time faculty, adjunct faculty and staff members. Selected winners will have the opportunity to compete in the Illinois Community College Trustees Association’s annual award program, which features statewide peer-to-peer competition within the entire Illinois community college system.