Colorado Northwestern Community College (CNCC) faculty, Elizabeth (Liz) Johnson, PhD, was recently selected to receive University of Colorado Boulder’s Outstanding Colorado Educator Award. The award is presented to educators across the state of Colorado who have demonstrated a commitment to helping students achieve their higher education goals. These individuals are counselors, faculty, and staff members nominated by their colleagues for their hard work and dedication to student success.
In her nomination, Johnson’s colleague noted, “To Liz, every student is an individual and she has a personal approach with each and every one of them. Liz not only teaches; she leads, advises, and is with students in the classroom or out in the field digging up dinosaur bones. She always directs students to the future and does not stop with just what they are doing now.”
Of the award Johnson said, “It is an honor to be selected as an Outstanding Colorado Educator. Community colleges play a crucial role in transitioning students to institutions of higher education and equally to the workforce in our communities. I have the pleasure to take part these students’ individual growth and play a role in their life story. It is why any educator comes to work: we thrive on seeing our students grow.”
Johnson teaches many science courses on the CNCC Craig campus. However, her focus and true love is with paleontology. When she is not in the classroom, Johnson coordinates summer dinosaur digs and manages CNCC’s federal dinosaur repository.
Johnson will be recognized formally at University of Colorado Boulder’s Outstanding Colorado Student and Educator Awards Night on Friday, May 3, in Boulder.
CU Boulder Outstanding Community College Educator Award
Each year, the University of Colorado Boulder community is delighted to see so many talented and excited Colorado community college students join us to advance their academic careers. This year, we have created the Outstanding Colorado Community College Educator Awards to recognize the hard-working community college professionals who support these exceptional incoming transfer students in achieving their educational goals.
