Dr. Jeremy Thomas, MaryBeth Stopoulos and Isaac Stewart
MaryBeth Stopoulos, assistant professor of biology, received the Outstanding Full-Time Faculty Member Award at the Board of Trustees’ February 2025 meeting. She was selected by the Black Hawk College Labor Management Council as part of the college’s new Employee Recognition Awards program.
“Stopoulos is beloved by all of her students due to her tireless devotion to their continued success. She makes a challenging learning experience engaging and one that students remember fondly,” her colleagues wrote in their nomination.
In addition to teaching courses such BIOL 101 General Human Biology, BIOL 145 Anatomy-Physiology and BIOL 261 Microbiology, Stopoulos serves as the co-chair for the Natural Sciences and Engineering Department and “an invaluable member of the Assessment Senate Subcommittee.”
In Fall 2022, Stopoulos received the Golden Apple Award from the Phi Theta Kappa honor society chapter at the Quad-Cities Campus. Two PTK members nominated her for that award.
Stopoulos, “is always willing to spend extra time if needed to help students,” student Akos Tiwa wrote in her 2022 nomination. “Her ways of teaching makes her classes less stressful for students.”
Student Cori Pullen said Stopoulos makes sure her students have the resources to fully understand each concept.
“She recognizes that not everyone learns the same way, and she embraces that to meet the needs of each student,” Pullen wrote in her 2022 nomination.
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.
Email congratulations to MaryBeth Stopoulos!