Announcing our President’s Award For Excellence in Innovative Thinking and the Inaugural Core Values Award
President’s Award for Excellence in Innovative Thinking
The President’s Award for Excellence in Innovative Thinking was established in 2007 to recognize, enhance, and sustain Bay Path’s culture of innovation while supporting our mission and goals. It is presented annually to a Bay Path University faculty or staff member, team, or department to recognize outstanding contributions to our community.
The recipient of the 2022 President’s Award for Excellence in Innovative Thinking is Kathleen Menard, Assistant Professor, director of didactic education, and assistant director in our physician assistant program. She was nominated by Associate Professor Theresa Riethle, director of the physician assistant program, and Assistant Professor Bianca Carbone.
As excerpted from her nomination:
“With clinical experiences more challenging to acquire than ever, stakeholders wanting new graduates with more skills, and students clamoring for advanced skill training that cannot be fit into traditional curriculum, Kathleen advocated for and oversaw the creation of alternative clinical experiences which the program plans to launch in May 2023. These experiences provide 4-weeks of intense experiences in areas such as radiology, ultrasound, medical Spanish and public health to name a few. Some of the programs also provide certificates of proficiency. Students can use these credentials to improve their marketability.” (Associate Professor Theresa Riethle)
And…
“In June of 2022, the PA program class size doubled, going from 30 to 60 students. As a team, while excited for this advancement, we knew it would come with many challenges in both the didactic year and clinical year. Kate took on these potential challenges and thought of solutions to better educate students and provide them with clinical site opportunities… It is through Kate’s hard work and innovative thinking that the students are now provided with a more comprehensive and organized delivery of content as well as providing students with the opportunity to explore a nontraditional clinical rotation.” (Assistant Professor Bianca Carbone)
Core Values Award
This year marked the presentation of the inaugural Core Values Award. The honor recognizes a member of the Bay Path community who has fully embodied through intentionality and mindfulness, while also working diligently, to bring the Core Values, adopted in 2022, to fruition in their daily interactions and work.
In honor of the occasion, Carrie Burr ’86, chair of the Bay Path Board of Trustees, announced the recipient of the 2022 Core Values Award:
Peter Testori, dean of academic resources, Title IX coordinator, and assistant professor of higher education.
As the selection committee and nomination noted:
“Since joining Bay Path, he has exemplified the very values we now seek to infuse throughout the community. He lives them every day, and is a role model of compassion, collaboration, empathy, and commitment.”
Examples of Peter’s approach to students and to colleagues were provided for each of the core values, from “Our Learners Come First” to DEI, to collaboration to finding joy.
Congratulations, Peter Testori!