Two instructors chosen for teaching award

Scott Mahoney and Gwen Sweeney are the recipients of the 2017 Excellence in Teaching, Learning and Service Award, given annually to two Seattle Central faculty members who demonstrate high levels of leadership, performance and excellence. Each will receive a $1,000 prize and will be formally recognized during President’s Day this fall.

Scott Mahoney

Scott, a Respiratory Care instructor in the Allied Health Division, has been teaching at Seattle Central since 2004. In 2007, he earned tenure and became a clinical director. He teaches basic and advanced therapeutic approaches course series and respiratory care clinicals. Scott serves as a faculty club advisor and is on the curriculum coordinating council. His students rave about his unending passion for their success.

One student wrote, “Through his lectures, we felt excitement, passion, and ambition for excelling in our Respiratory Care paths. His encouragement has shaped our enthusiasm for our career, and I am so proud of our graduating class. We will represent Seattle Central well, and we owe that to Scott.”.

Gwen Sweeney

Gwen has taught math in the Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) Division since 2011. Her students describe her as a dedicated math teacher motivates them – in part by creating a welcoming environment – to achieve their best.

“I have never had a (math) teacher as dedicated to not only my scholastic learning, but contextual and conceptual learning in and out of the classroom as Ms. Sweeney. We need more teachers like her at every level of education,” a student remarked.