The distinguished faculty awards ceremony was held on Thursday at 11 a.m. at the Student Center where members of the Cerritos College faculty enjoyed lunch with their colleagues and students.

Bill Farmer, acting president and superintent, started by saying that, “A day to celebrate the faculty of Cerritos College is a great day.”

The most outstanding faculty award went to Dr. Marijean Piorkowski, health occupations professor.

She is retiring this year after 32 years at Cerritos College.

Her colleagues are working on a scholarship in her honor for the health occupations students. They are looking for donations.

Piorkowski said, “I’m very honored to be celebrated and I feel very appreciated for my service to the college. It has been a very big part of my professional career. The scholarship I think is wonderful, students can really benefit from that.”

Now that she is retiring as a professor, she will go the Long Beach Memorial Hospital as a physical therapist and she is also wants to travel.

Dr. Marilyn Brock, interim vice president of academic affairs, said, “This is one of the most exiting days of Cerritos College, your (faculty) mark has been made in hundreds of students.”

There were students that attended the awards ceremony to support their favorite professors when they received the outstanding faculty awards.

Rhiannon Medohnalm, dental hygiene major, said about Dani Carroll, dental hygiene professor, “She is a supportive teacher. I see her as a friend and as part of the family.”

Carroll said, “It is fantastic. It is hard to describe. I’m really lucky to have a great faculty and the students are the best ever.”

Anthony Heredia, biology major, said about Cheryl Shimazu.

Chemistry Department Chair and chemistry professor, “She is a great teacher.”