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Georgia Gwinnett College honored faculty and staff at its GGC Awards, presented at the school’s 13th annual Fall Recognition event Thursday.

History professor Dr. Richard Rawls earned the college’s Outstanding Teacher Award, which spotlights those who demonstrate excellence in helping students become adept in an academic discipline. A GGC faculty member since 2008, Rawls uses both written and oral strategies to immerse students into their studies. In Rawls’ classes, students can expect to prepare assignments using research about a given era, deliver arguments from disparate points of view, or march around the campus green using a seventh-century Greek military formation to demonstrate the value of protection and the influence it had on democracy of early civilizations.

Rawls’ interest in his students does not end when they complete his courses. After graduation, Rawls follows his students’ careers, offering insight and advice along the way.

Others honored at the awards ceremony included:

Dr. Veronica Sublett Breeden, Outstanding Part-time Teaching
Dr. Binh Tran, Outstanding Faculty Mentor
Dr. Kathryn Zimmermann, Outstanding Faculty Scholarship and Creative Activities
Dr. Carlos Ruiz Burgos, Outstanding Faculty Service
Dr. Luis Mora, Outstanding Student Engagement
Ben Hines and Mari Jameison, Outstanding Staff

Along with the awards recipients, GGC recognized 29 faculty members who were recently promoted to the next level of academic rank.

The annual GGC Awards mirror the four core values of Georgia Gwinnett College: Scholarship, Leadership, Service and Creativity. These four values emphasize and encapsulate the college’s vision and mission.