News

Schaller named outstanding faculty

Professor Lisa Schaller won the outstanding faculty of the year award after just one year at MCCC.

Her work has influenced many students and staff of the college, according to Dr. Grace Yackee, Vice President of Instruction, who presented the award.

”She has shown much interest by participating in various committees within the college and takes interest in improving the teaching environment for her students,” Yackee said.

 Yackee said Schaller joined the college as an assistant professor of Construction Management in the fall of 2018.

According to Peter Coomar, dean of the Applied Science and Engineering Technology Division, Schaller spends a lot of time with her students and is known to encourage them to work in the industry.

Schaller connects with her students, always giving them her best, Coomar said.

“Students have described Schaller as extremely smart, engaging, caring, helpful, and hardworking,” Yackee said.

Schaller enjoy teaching at MCCC very much and forms strong relationships with her students and coworkers.

“The students are awesome and the fellow colleagues are phenomenal,” she said. “The administration and staff are great to work with as well.”

New to the faculty and new to the awards ceremony, Schaller humbly accepted her award, without any remarks of her own.

“I was totally shocked when my name was called to receive the award. I was so tongue-tied was the reason I couldn't even give an acceptance speech I was still in total shock and still am this morning,” Schaller said in an email.

Professor Mark Bergmooser jokingly thanked her for saving the last 45 minutes of the awards ceremony.

Schaller was filled with gratitude and able to give her thanks in a private interview.

“I would like to say thank you so very, very much in bestowing this honor upon me. First and foremost I have to thank my students without their willingness to learn we wouldn't have a job.”

“Second of all I would like to thank all my fellow colleagues across campus, I am very honored to be working with a great group of esteemed colleagues who are so supportive and so accommodating and they have helped make my first year at MCCC a complete success.

“I would like to thank the whole team in the ASET Division for their guidance and support and the helping my transition here to MCCC and helping me fit in and showing me the ropes. Without them I would be lost.

“And last I would like to thank the whole of MCCC staff, students, and the community for welcoming the new kid on the block with open arms.”

Schaller brings significant experience to the college, having taught full-time at the university level as well as over 20 years of industry experience in construction, estimating, and fire alarm and security systems design and installation.

She holds a master’s degree in Technical Management from Bowling Green State University and a bachelor’s of science in Construction Management from BGSU. She also received a bachelor’s of Science with a specialization in construction management from ITT Technical College online.