Harper College will be closed Thursday, June 19, in observance of Juneteenth National Freedom Day.
Pictured (left to right): Eric Knox, trustee; Dr. Avis Proctor, president; Dr. Pardess Mitchell, faculty; Christopher Dunn, faculty; Kimberley Polly, dean, Mathematics and Science Division; James Meyer, trustee; Bill Kelley, board chair.
Two Harper College educators have been recognized by the Illinois Community College Trustees Association (ICCTA) for their outstanding contributions to student success, innovative instruction and educational leadership.
Christopher Dunn, adjunct faculty in Harper’s Emergency Medical Services program, received the ICCTA’s Outstanding Adjunct Faculty Award, which honors excellence among the state’s part-time community college instructors.
Dunn’s teaching is distinguished by his ability to bridge classroom theory with real-world application. By incorporating gamified learning tools and designing immersive, scenario-based instruction, Dunn engages students in critical thinking and problem-solving essential to emergency medical response. His leadership in redesigning the EMT curriculum into a modular format has significantly enhanced accessibility and retention. Harper’s EMT students consistently outperform state and national benchmarks on the National Registry of EMTs exam.
This is the second year in a row that a Harper adjunct faculty member has won this award.
Dr. Pardess Mitchell, professor and Health Education department chair, was honored with a medallion as a nominee for the Outstanding Full-Time Faculty Member Award. Mitchell creates inclusive, student-centered classrooms where all learners feel seen and supported. A leader in equity-focused education, she applies the Universal Design for Learning (UDL) framework to eliminate barriers and ensure broad accessibility.
Among her many contributions, Mitchell helped launch dual-credit courses, established transfer pathways and created online certificate programs supporting teacher credentialing. She also co-founded the Art of Teaching for Equity Community of Practice, which connects faculty and educators across institutions to address systemic inequities and improve student outcomes.
“Christopher and Pardess exemplify the transformative power of education,” said Dr. Avis Proctor, president of Harper College. “Their dedication to inclusive, student-centered teaching and their commitment to educational excellence elevate our entire community. We are proud to celebrate their well-deserved recognition by the ICCTA.”
Dunn and Mitchell were honored at the ICCTA’s 2025 Annual Convention on June 6.