Greenville Technical College (GTC) students and faculty captured top awards at the South Carolina Association for Developmental Education (SCADE) Conference held October 16 in Columbia, SC.
The SCADE Scholar Award was given to David “Levi” Free. This award recognizes students who begin their college careers in developmental classes and will benefit from the $500 scholarship to use in continuing their educational plans. Free was recognized as a student who came back from adversity. In his first 50 years, he struggled to find a career, lived from paycheck to paycheck, and suffered three heart attacks, eventually realizing the need to become sober. At GTC, he is now studying to become a drug and alcohol counselor and plans to transfer to earn a bachelor’s degree in psychology.
Math Professor Mark Gollwitzer received the Outstanding Former Developmental Education Student Award. This award recognizes students who begin their studies in developmental education and have since gone on to become outstanding members of a profession, thereby exemplifying the effectiveness of the education they received. Gollwitzer teaches math at Greenville Technical College, inspiring students to pursue education and meet their career goals through his instructional methods and the recounting of his own educational journey.
The SCADE Outstanding Service to Students Award was presented to GTC’s Crystal Pitrois. This award celebrates a faculty or staff member whose work exemplifies the developmental educational philosophy and has outstanding achievements in teaching, relationships with students, and professional development activities. Pitrois has taught reading, English and college skills courses. She is described as an innovator who continually looks for new approaches to teaching and learning that can improve her students’ reading and writing skills. She partners with other faculty to build new courses designed to help students accelerate through developmental coursework, is solutions oriented, stays active with community and professional organizations, and has a true passion for her work.