Endowment Awards

During his tenure, former MCC President Dr. Shouan Pan, in collaboration with the Office of Development and the Maricopa Community Colleges Foundation, launched an endowed teaching program to recognize and reward excellence in teaching and learning. In 2012, the Title III Grant: Foundations for Student Success, along with philanthropic matching funds, established an additional award supporting developmental instruction.

The Endowed Teaching Chair recognizes faculty who demonstrate exceptional teaching and learning through a multi-year award.

The Endowed Teaching Award Programs aim to:

• Demonstrate MCC’s commitment to quality instruction

• Recognize and celebrate faculty excellence in teaching

• Support professional growth opportunities

• Provide programmatic support for faculty teaching developmental education

Program goals include:

• Providing a formal method for recognizing teaching excellence

• Promoting effective learning in the classroom and academic settings

• Strengthening MCC’s reputation for high-quality instruction

• Promoting connections between the college and the community

• Building a culture that values and celebrates teaching excellence among business leaders, elected officials, employees, and students

All residential faculty members are eligible to apply for the Endowed Teaching Chair award. Each cycle, awards are determined by available funding. Recipients receive a cash award that may be used at their discretion and is paid directly to the faculty member.

Adjunct faculty members with at least two years of teaching experience at MCC are eligible to participate in the Adjunct Faculty/OSO/OYO program. Selected adjunct faculty receive a cash award, paid directly to the faculty member, which may be used at their discretion and is subject to available funding.

Award Programs

Endowed Teaching Chair Award

The Endowed Teaching Chair Award offers three award programs to recognize faculty who demonstrate excellence in teaching and learning, quality instruction, and engagement in innovative and effective teaching practices.

The Drs. Ken and Rebecca Boren Endowed Teaching Chair Award recognizes faculty who demonstrate excellence in teaching and learning. In its inaugural year (Spring 2024), the Residential Faculty award included a $10,000 stipend distributed over a two-year period. Payments are typically distributed evenly each year.

The funds may be used at the recipient’s discretion. A portion of the award may be used at any time during the two-year award period for professional development activities, course equipment, or instructional supplies. The remaining portion is provided as a cash payment made directly to the faculty member.

The Mesa Community College Endowed Teaching Chair Award,recognizes faculty who demonstrate excellence in teaching and learning. Both residential and adjunct faculty awards provide a multi-year stipend paid directly to recipients. Payments are typically distributed evenly across the award period and may be used at the recipient’s discretion. Award amounts and the number of recipients vary based on available funding.

The Mesa Community College Developmental Education Endowment. See next section for details.

Developmental Education Endowed Teaching Award

“The purpose of this endowment is to provide funding for professional growth opportunities and programmatic related support of faculty (residential and adjunct) teaching developmental education courses pertaining to the subject matters of math, reading, and English at Mesa Community College.” –Developmental Education Endowment Agreement

The Developmental Education Endowment continues the work of the Title III grant by providing funds for professional growth and programmatic support for faculty teaching developmental education. This award recognizes the essential work of developmental educators. All faculty teaching developmental education courses in the English, Math, or Reading Departments are eligible for this award. Specifically, faculty who teach the following developmental courses: ALT100, ENG101LL/ENG107LL, MAT081, MAT091, MAT126, MAT146, MAT156, and RDG100. The eligible award amount is a one-time payment. The award(s) may range between $500-$5,000 depending on fund availability.

Award Comparisons

Conditions of Award

Award amounts and availability may vary annually based on the balance and distribution of the endowment fund.

Recipients forfeit their stipends if…

• The award recipient moves from an instructional position to an administrative position during the term of the award.
• The faculty member leaves the college.