Parkland College surgical technology director earns ICCTA honor

On Friday, June 5, she was selected from 27 full-time Illinois community college faculty members. She has served as program director at Parkland for eight years. Previously, she served as the Surgical Technology Program Director at Lincoln Land Community College from 2011–2018.

"Winning the award is an honor that carries tremendous personal and professional meaning for me," Grewatz said. "I’m genuinely grateful not only for the recognition itself, but also for the nomination from VP Sutton and the Parkland Board of Trustees. The recognition affirms the pride I take in my profession and the commitment I bring to my role at Parkland. It inspires me to continue striving to elevate my teaching and professional activities to better serve my students."

Grewatz added: "What I enjoy most about Parkland and our students is the strong sense of community and collaboration that influences how we serve our students. There’s a genuine commitment to supporting meaningful educational experiences for students. I feel fortunate to be part of that environment. I have the privilege of getting to know my students throughout their time in the program, and I deeply admire their resilience, their dedication to learning, and their determination to become skilled surgical technologists."

Natural Sciences adjunct faculty member Jeremy Jang was also nominated for the ICCTA Outstanding Adjunct Faculty Award. He has been with Parkland College for 19 years.

"I personally enjoy my job very much, so putting in the time and effort was never a problem," Jang said. "However, having others recognize my work is different, and means a lot to me. I like how Parkland encourages innovation, both in our students and in our teaching methods. And the thing I most enjoy about our students is how much enthusiasm they have towards learning and pursuing their career goals."