Transforming our Campus Through Excellence and Belonging

Transforming our Campus Through Excellence and Belonging

• Community
• 04/30/2026

The 5th Annual Eagle Awards of Excellence, held on Friday, April 24, 2026, celebrated Rock Valley College's (RVC) unwavering commitment to cultural excellence and belonging (CEB), along with its core principles: mutual respect, fairness, objective truth, solidarity, civil and open discourse, cultural humility, and sense of belonging.

This year, our college community submitted a total of 62 nominations. Of those nominations, 46% honored staff, 29% recognized students, 16% highlighted faculty, and 6% celebrated community partners. Together, these nominations reflect a campus culture rooted in appreciation and recognition.

Six outstanding individuals and three community partners were honored for their efforts in fostering a welcoming, inclusive environment across the campus and broader community. Awards were presented in five categories-Faculty, Staff, Student, Community Partner, and Distinguished Service-recognizing those who inspire connection, champion inclusion, and drive meaningful impact.

In his opening remarks, Vice President of Cultural Excellence Dr. Keith Barnes shared a message of strength and hope, emphasizing the importance of solidarity in addressing ongoing challenges related to diversity, equity, and inclusion. He acknowledged the difficulty of advancing this work in today's political climate, noting that while some question its impact, measurable progress has been made.

Dr. Barnes pointed to RVC culture survey results as evidence of real improvement across all areas of the college, including narrowing equity gaps and increased workforce diversity.

"It is critically important that we exercise solidarity," he said. "A broken system does not just affect marginalized people and communities. A broken system affects everyone, regardless of our cultural, religious, and political identities."

His emphasis on solidarity was reflected as RVC continued its tradition of honoring culture and belonging, presenting Eagle Awards of Excellence to individuals and organizations in the following categories:

Outstanding Faculty: Celebrating advocates of culture and belonging both inside and outside the classroom during their time at RVC.

Lea Carlson

Beth Ingle, PhD

Outstanding Staff: Acknowledging those who show unwavering dedication to cultivating an inclusive campus community.

Takeisha Lambert

Outstanding Student: Honoring those who have given outstanding contributions to CEB efforts by actively promoting and engaging in programs on and off campus.

Christian Carter

Mohammedalsadeq Alzubaidi

Outstanding Community Partner: Highlighting individuals or organizations that reflect cultural excellence and belonging in their mission and practices, and that have consistently partnered with RVC to strengthen access and opportunity for the communities they serve.

Victoryia Butler, Green State Credit Union

Harlem High School

Northern Illinois Center for Nonprofit Excellence (NICNE)

CEO of NICNE Pam Clark Reidenbach expressed deep gratitude to the audience, saying in part, "We do the work because it's the right thing to do. Because all people deserve to be seen, heard, and valued. We see you, we hear you, and we value all of you," she emphasized. "You belong here. And building belonging begins with us. Let's come together Rockford and be a model community where all people know they belong."

Theresa Paulette Gilbert Distinguished Service Award: Chosen by Promoting an Inclusive Community (PAIC) leadership, this distinguished award recognizes someone who goes beyond their job responsibilities and shows a strong commitment to justice and peace, guided by a deep sense of purpose.

Michelle Rotert, PhD

All award recipients were recognized with a heartfelt message honoring their dedication to fostering a sense of belonging and their continued impact across the campus community.

Congratulations to each of our honorees for this well-deserved recognition!

"It's moments like these that we get to celebrate with one another and recognize that we're not alone in this work."

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