2022-2023 Endowed Teaching Chairs – Celebrating 30 Years of Recognizing Excellence in the Classroom

It was two days of excitement, applause, and tears of joy as recipients of the Endowed Teaching Chair Awards were surprised in their classrooms by College Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs Dr. Jeffery Nasse and Broward College President Gregory Adam Haile, J.D. On Monday, April 18, and Tuesday, April 19, respectively. Dr. Nasse and President Haile traveled across the three main campuses and—unannounced—entered the class being taught by each recipient to present the award. The eight professors were recognized for their excellence in the classroom as recipients of an Endowed Teaching Chair (ETC) award for the 2022-2023 academic year.

“We are honored to celebrate these eight professors for their exceptional expertise and the passion and care they show for our students each day, and we are beyond grateful to our donors who make these awards possible. Their partnership helps us invest in the development of our faculty and, by extension, the lives of our students and our community. This is a gift that will keep giving for generations to come.” – President Gregory Adam Haile

The Endowed Teaching Chair awards were launched in 1989 to celebrate the College’s 30th anniversary. In 1990, the then Broward Community College Foundation was the nation’s first community college foundation to complete an endowed teaching chairs campaign. This has since grown to 36 Endowed Teaching Chairs, with 224 awards spanning 30 years since the first Endowed Teaching Chairs were awarded in 1992. The ultimate goal is to provide the opportunity for at least 10 percent of the College’s faculty to achieve this status in recognition of their outstanding efforts in the classroom. The awards are possible thanks to the support of philanthropic individuals, businesses, foundations, and city organizations.

“These professors have shown exemplary work and dedication not only to their students but also to the College. From the entire leadership team at Broward College, we send our gratitude and congratulations for being selected for an Endowed Teaching Chair Award.” – Dr. Jeffery Nasse

The 2022-2023 Endowed Teaching Chair (ETC) recipients are:

Dr. Michael Giovanniello, a senior radiography professor, received the Sensormatic Electronics Corporation ETC. Dr. Giovanniello holds a Ph.D. in Education from Capella University. He has taught at Broward College for 31 years. Dr. Giovanniello’s talents have played a role in graduates exceeding the national pass rate on the national radiographers’ certification examination.

Dr. Behnoush Memari, a senior professor of chemistry, received the AT&T ETC. She has a Ph.D. in Chemistry from Florida International University. Dr. Memari has been with the College since 2003, where she has chaired committees, developed online chemistry courses, and created four 3000-level course outlines for the Teacher Education Program.

Dr. David Perdian, an associate professor of chemistry, received the Donald L. Goldsmith Faculty Development & Technology ETC. He holds a Ph.D. in Analytical Chemistry from Iowa State University. Dr. Perdian is an Association of College and University Educators (ACUE) graduate who has successfully facilitated ACUE courses at Broward College and other institutions across the southeastern U.S. He runs a thriving YouTube chemistry channel. He has recorded 200 videos that have been watched by his students nearly 200,000 times.

Dr. Krzysztof Bryniuk, an associate professor of business, received the Sun-Sentinel ETC. He holds five graduate degrees, including a Doctor of Business Administration. Dr. Bryniuk has developed numerous courses for the online campus and has taught at several of the College’s international centers.

Dr. Eduardo Astigarraga, an assistant professor of English, received the Otto Burkhardt ETC. He has a Ph.D. in English from Oklahoma State University. Dr. Astigarraga is known for his belief that all students are capable of growth in the writing field.

Laura McDermott, an associate professor of English, received the Robert Elmore Family ETC. Professor McDermott has a Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing from Florida International University. She has served at Broward College since 2007, teaching courses ranging from developmental English to Shakespeare and Poetry Writing. Outside of the classroom, she has advised the Judson A. Samuels South Campus chapter of Phi Theta Kappa and currently serves as faculty coordinator for Dual Enrollment.

Vicky Santiesteban, an associate professor of English, received the Knight Foundation ETC. She holds a master’s degree in English from the University of North Texas. Professor Santiesteban is a Broward College graduate who has been teaching at the College for over 20 years. She pursues her own work in poetry and book arts outside of the classroom and draws on this experience as the advisor to the College’s multiple-award-winning literary and arts magazine, P’an Ku.

Dr. Katherine Peach is an associate professor of Biology and received the Presidential ETC. She joined Broward College in 2016 and received this ETC in her first year of eligibility. She works on developing student activities that promote learning both inside and outside the classrooms.

Endowed Teaching Chair Nominations and Selection Process:

The ETC awards are open to active full-time teaching faculty and librarians. Candidates can be nominated by a peer, student or may self-nominate. A selection committee reviews these nominations, and eligible candidates must submit an e-Folio by the published deadlines and guidelines specified by the ETC committee. Following this submission, the semi-finalists are chosen. Semi-finalists give a 20-minute simulated classroom teaching presentation to the ETC committee. Finalists are selected to deliver a second presentation to the community selection committee. After the second and final presentation, winners are chosen by the community selection committee.

Christianne Casper, faculty/instruction librarian, and Jamie Martin, Associate Dean of Academic Affairs served as co-chairs on the selection committee and Broward College Foundation Board of Directors member Dr. Stanley Marks chaired the Broward College Foundation Endowed Teaching Chair Selection Committee. Other Selection Committee members include Honorary Broward College Foundation Board Members Ann Porterfield and John Bochak, and friends of the College, Jo Ann Cremata and David Verlen.

“I was personally touched by the meaning of all these awards and each recipient’s commitment to excellence in education and to the students of Broward College. Each is an inspiration to The Broward College Foundation, the College and most importantly our students!” – Dr. Stanley Marks

View photos of the recipients being awarded here.