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Georgia Gwinnett College’s (GGC) outstanding faculty and staff were honored at its annual Fall Recognition Ceremony on Sept. 21. The college recognized six faculty and two staff members for embodying its four pillars of scholarship, leadership, service and creativity.

Rahaf Barakat, an associate professor of information technology in GGC's School of Science and Technology, received the 2022-23 Outstanding Faculty Teaching Award. Recipients of this award are nominated by students.

Barakat came to the U.S. at a young age, “seeking a better life and future.” She said she was drawn to the IT field for several reasons, but first and foremost was her deep-rooted love for technology.

“From a very young age, I found myself fascinated by computers and their endless possibilities,” said Barakat. “This fascination naturally led me to pursue a degree in IT, and as I delved deeper into the subject, I realized that I had a knack for explaining complex concepts in a simple, understandable manner. This realization planted the seed of a potential teaching career.”

Her passion for technology combined with the desire to increase the representation of underrepresented minorities in IT and STEM, the desire to make meaningful and positive contribution to society, the joy of nurturing students' growth and shape their lives, and the opportunity to stay at the forefront of an ever-evolving field to lead her to a career in IT and ultimately to GGC.

“It's a career path that has fulfilled me and allowed me to inspire and empower diverse generations of IT professionals.”

Since joining GGC in 2015, Barakat received GGC’s Top Claw Award and in 2017, was nominated for the school’s Outstanding Faculty Student Engagement Award. Additionally, the Women in Technology organization included her among its “Fearless Women in Technology.”

Barakat said GGC’s diversity and status as an access institution initially attracted her to the school.

“GGC’s commitment to inclusivity and accessibility resonated deeply with my desire to foster diversity and provide educational opportunities for all,” she said. “This alignment of values and the opportunity to contribute to GGC's mission to empower a diverse student body not only excited me but convinced me that this was the place where I could realize my passion for teaching and promoting diversity in academia.”

Students nominating Barakat said she helped them feel welcome and encouraged to learn in a supportive environment, and that is not by accident.

“Teachers should acknowledge that education is not a one-size-fits-all endeavor,” she said. “Our classrooms are filled with individuals with unique strengths, challenges and aspirations, and it is our duty to tailor our approach and to adopt to the dynamism of education, recognizing that a supportive environment is essential for all students to thrive.”

Barakat says it is an incredible honor and a deeply humbling experience to receive the Outstanding Faculty Teaching Award, but she also sees it as a challenge to improve.

“I am fully aware of the responsibility receiving this award entails, which is to continue making a lasting impact on my students' lives,” she said. “This challenge inspires me to refine my teaching methods, stay innovative, and be even more attentive to the unique needs of each student. It reaffirms my commitment to nurturing an inclusive and engaging learning environment where every student feels valued and empowered. I am truly honored by this award and am determined to uphold the principles of outstanding teaching, ensuring that my students continue to benefit from a transformative educational experience.”

The other award winners included:

Dr. David Weiss, a part-time English faculty member in the School of Liberal Arts, received the Outstanding Faculty Part-Time Teaching Award. Weiss was recognized for his passion for spreading the word of GGC within the Atlanta community, often capitalizing on his previous connections in the business world to do so.

Dr. David Kirschner, associate professor of sociology and chair of the Human Services and Cultural Studies Department in the School of Liberal Arts, received the Outstanding Faculty Mentoring Award. Kirschner was noted for going above and beyond advising and mentoring his students and supporting his colleagues as mentors.

Dr. Sairam Tangirala, associate professor of physics in the School of Science and Technology, received the Outstanding Faculty Creativity and Scholarship Award. Tangirala was honored for his commitment to helping his students achieve excellence by using his creative talents and innovative teaching methods.

Dr. Cynthia Woodbridge, professor of chemistry in the School of Science and Technology, received the Outstanding Faculty Service Award. Woodbridge received the prize for simultaneously holding five leadership service roles and four representative positions at the institutional, school or committee level.

Dr. Binh Tran, associate professor of information technology in the School of Science and Technology, was given the Outstanding Faculty Student Engagement Award. Tran was recognized for offering impressive support to the student body by helping place information technology students into internship and full-time professional positions.

Anessa Griffin, budget and program coordinator for the School of Science and Technology, received the Outstanding Staff Award for supporting more than 205 full-time faculty in obtaining the chemicals, equipment, instruments and other supplies needed to implement high-impact teaching practices in the classroom and laboratory.

Kathija Jamaloodeen, program lead for the School of Health Sciences, also received the Outstanding Staff Award for coordinating the nursing and health science programs, providing invaluable assistance to new faculty as they learned their administrative duties, and creating an outstanding training module for new department chairs.

During the ceremony, GGC also recognized 20 faculty members who were promoted to the rank of professor, 10 faculty, who were promoted to associate professor, and seven faculty, who advanced to the rank of senior lecturer.

View and download Fall Recognition ceremony photos.