Dr. Sara Burke honored with placement on the 2023 Dale P. Parnell Distinguished Faculty List

Assistant Professor at Owens Community College Sara Burke, Pt, DPT has recently been placed on the 2023 Dale P. Parnell Distinguished Faculty list by the American Association of Community Colleges. 

Placement on the list is awarded to educators who make a significant difference in community college classrooms around the nation. The designation is highly competitive and honors faculty who are active both in their colleges’ activities and students’ lives in order to ensure the success of those students.

Only 42 faculty received the honor of being placed on the list. The namesake of the Dale P. Parnell Distinguished Faculty list is a former American Association of Community Colleges president. 

In order to be eligible for placement on the list, faculty must go above and beyond their job description to make sure that their students are academically successful, participate in college committees, show the desire to support students both inside and outside of the classroom, and demonstrate passion for the students and the classroom. 

In an article from the Sentinel-Tribune, the President of Owens Community College, Dione Somerville, talked about Dr. Burke’s honor, saying, “Dr. Burke has incredible passion for students and for teaching. Her dedication provides the opportunity for a transformational educational experience for her students. She is a student and practitioner of teaching excellence and is intentional about ensuring an effective student experience. She elevates the performance of those around her. She embodies the Owens mission by creating pathways for students. She is not only inspiring her students but her colleagues, and in doing so, she is distinguished by establishing an Owens legacy of success.”

The American Association of Community Colleges recognized this year’s recipients at its national conference held in Denver earlier this month.

Dr. Burke talked about being recognized, saying, “I love working at Owens and being able to make a difference. It’s all about the Owens students and their accomplishments. That’s why I’m excited to go to work every day. I’m humbled to be recognized for doing what I love.”

Other Owens Community College members Jen Hazel, English professor, and Sarah Long, mathematics associate professor, also received the Parnell honor back in 2022 and 2021 respectively.

Dr. Burke started at Owens back in 2008 as a science department adjunct faculty member. She started teaching in the physical therapist assistant program as an instructor back in 2016, and became an assistant professor two years ago.

She joined the interprofessional leadership team back in 2018. The team works to create and deliver School of Nursing and Health Professions events as well as obtains data collection during those events for eventual publications of findings and results. Dr. Burke finished the virtual 2021 IPEC Interprofessional Leadership Development Program successfully. She also completed the Association of College and University Educators Course in Effective Online Teaching Practices which was co-endorsed by the American Council on Education.

Dr. Burke also received the College’s School of Nursing and Health Professions Teaching Excellence Award last year.

More information about the American Association of Community Colleges can be found at its website.

More information about Owens Community College can be found at the school’s website.