Each year, Heartland Community College names one full-time and one part-time faculty member to be honored as examples of the dedication, expertise, and commitment to student learning found within the College’s instructors.

The Heartland Outstanding Faculty Award winners are selected each year from student nominations. The Heartland Community College recipients are also submitted to the Illinois Community College Trustees Association for the statewide award.

2025 OUTSTANDING
FULL-TIME FACULTY AWARD
Tom McCulley

Image of Heartland Community College president, Keith Cornille and Tom McCulley. The recipient of the 2025 Outstanding Full-Time Faculty Award.

Tom McCulley is the recipient of the 2025 Outstanding Full-Time Faculty Award.

With over 20 years of teaching at Heartland Community College, McCulley has touched the lives of countless students. Currently teaching Classical Greek Mythology, McCulley has taught many humanities courses over the years and has taken on a number of committee and service roles, including as Interim Dean of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences.

McCulley’s classrooms are dynamic spaces filled with discussion, debate, and laughter. He uses creative writing prompts that invite students to take new knowledge and apply it to their lived experience.

One student endorsement reflects McCulley’s approach to the classroom: “This class was so much fun… and I actually learned something, too!”

2025 OUTSTANDING
PART-TIME FACULTY AWARD
Rebecca Schaefer

Image of Heartland Community College president, Keith Cornille and Rebecca Schaefer. The recipient of the 2025 Outstanding Part-Time Faculty Award.

Adjunct Professor of Humanities Rebecca Schaefer is the recipient
of the 2025 Outstanding Part-time Faculty Award.

Schaefer has made an impact on Heartland Community College students in many roles. Schaefer teaches traditional face-to-face classes, online courses, and interacts with high schoolers and prospective students through College Now teaching and community outreach.

Through her role as a success coach, Schaefer works individually with students to remove barriers, gain study strategies, and access resources.

Student feedback regularly applauds Schaefer’s passion for teaching and learning, along with her willingness to interact with care and kindness.