Brookdale Community College’s Linda Wang, Professor of Mathematics (center) was recently honored in a Washington DC ceremony in which she and 36 other teachers across the country were selected for the prestigious Professor of the Year award offered by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching and the Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE). The program salutes “the most outstanding undergraduate instructors in the country—those who excel as teachers and influence the lives and careers of their students.”
Nominated by her peers and students Professor Wang was selected for both her dedication to the academic success of her students as well as the lasting mark she left on those who she interacted with. In addition to teaching a broad number of math courses at Brookdale—ranging from pre-Algebra to Calculus—Professor Wang also serves as the Faculty Advisor for the Asia Society at Brookdale Community College. Professor Wang is also one of the Founding Members of the Diversity Council at Brookdale which helps to bring awareness of diversity and promote the understanding and respect of individuals’ different cultures and backgrounds.
In her nomination packet, former students noted that Professor Wang made remarkable impacts on their lives. A former student said about Professor Wang’s Math 091 class: “It was in my math class, where I gained the confidence needed to be a successful student. It was in my math class, where I learned perseverance and never to give up. It was in my math class that I saw the dedication of a teacher, I’ve tried to emulate over the years since I joined the ranks of the teaching profession.” A colleague noted that “Linda exemplifies the community college mission—she is dedicated to teaching excellence. In the early 1990s, Linda took the lead in using links to websites and videos to make her classes more enjoyable… .”
Following the award ceremony Professor Wang and BCC Math Department Colleague Barbara Tozzi (right) met with Rep. Smith (left) and discussed the importance of higher education—both in the United States and globally—in the function and advancement of civil society. They also discussed ongoing human rights abuses in China including the plight of many jailed dissidents.
Smith, a senior member of Congress, represents large parts of Monmouth, Mercer and Ocean counties including Brookdale Community College’s Main Campus in Lincroft. He is the Dean of the New Jersey Delegation, and is chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee's global human rights subcommittee, and Co-Chairman of the Congressional Executive Commission on China.
