OCTC Announces Excellence Awards for Faculty, Administration, and Staff

by Bernie Hale

Owensboro, KY (01/21/2025) — The Owensboro Community & Technical College (OCTC) Excellence Awards are part of the annual OCTC employee recognition program and were presented at an event held on December 13, 2024.

Nominations for the awards are solicited from the campus community and selected from a pool of past award recipients. Considered the most prestigious of honors these awards are based on the former KCTCS New Horizons award and include a $1500 stipend for professional development.

Excellence Award for Staff, Dorrita Ashley

Dorrita Ashley, is the Administrative Assistant II for the Maintenance & Operations Department at OCTC. She is a native of Owensboro, earned her Associate in Applied Science degree with Distinction from OCTC in 2002. Ashley was recognized as a 2001-2002 as a Who's Who Among Students in American Junior Colleges, was featured in the 2002-2003 National Dean's List, and was inducted as a member of the Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society in 2002.

Her previous work experience includes Girls Incorporated where she was a facilitator before returning to OCTC as an Assistant for the Student Records Department.

In addition, her service at OCTC includes being a member of the Virginia Miles Nature Committee, where she was given the honor of serving refreshments to the 3rd - 4th grade elementary students during Nature Day. Looking back at her career journey, she is most grateful for OCTC's dedication and devotion to student success. Ashley truly believes that part of her career success was a result of God, family, and OCTC's faculty and staff's guidance, inspiration, and career support.

Nomination Excerpt

Dorrita Ashley's positive work ethic, kindness and efficiency warrant this recognition. She goes above and beyond to ensure that her work is completed, is very detail oriented and a good collaborator. Her professionalism serves as a model for the mission of the college as she relates all projects to student success and the student experience.

Excellence Award for Administration, Courtney Duvall

Courtney Duvall received the 2025 OCTC Excellence Award for Administration. She is the Director of the START Center and began her career at OCTC in 2017.

Duvall is working toward a Master's degree and has a bachelor's degree in Organizational Leadership from Western Kentucky University. She earned an Associate in Arts Degree from OCTC and is a graduate of Apollo High School.

Duvall serves on numerous committees for the college including the Recruiting Work Team and coordinates the annual Counselor's Breakfast. In 2021 she was selected for and completed the statewide Academic Leadership Development Institute.

Prior to leading the START Center Duvall served as a Senior Admissions Advisor, as a student Success Coach, and as a Financial Aid Assistant.

Her previous experience included working as a support team coach at the Wendell Foster Campus and as a caregiver at Comfort Keepers.

Nomination Excerpt

Over the past year, Courtney Duvall has demonstrated exceptional dedication and resilience, even amidst significant challenges. She has maintained high standards of professionalism and ensured operations ran smoothly. Beyond her hard work, her vibrant personality and positivity have created a supportive, enjoyable atmosphere in the office. She consistently goes above and beyond, volunteering time and tackling new challenges, making her truly deserving of this recognition.

Excellence Award for Faculty, Nathan Hirtz

The winner of the 2025 OCTC Excellence Award for Faculty is Nathan Hirtz. Hirtz teaches Mathematics and Statistics in addition to serving as the Department Head for the Mathematics, Natural, and Social Sciences Department.

Hirtz is a native of southeast Missouri, where he graduated 8th grade from St. Teresa School (Glennonville, MO), and Notre Dame Regional High School (Cape Girardeau, MO). He graduated from Southeast Missouri State University (Cape Girardeau, MO) with a Bachelor of Science in Pure Mathematics and a B.S.E. in Secondary Mathematics Education. He earned a Master of Science in Mathematics with a concentration in Statistics from Murray State University and a Master of Science in Statistics from the University of Illinois (Urbana-Champaign, IL). Hirtz completed additional post-graduate coursework in Statistics from the University of Illinois.

Hirtz previously held a 9-12 mathematics teaching certificate from Missouri and currently holds a 9-12 mathematics teaching certificate from Kentucky.

Hirtz started his career at OCTC as an adjunct faculty member in the Fall of 2018. He was hired full-time as a mathematics and statistics instructor in 2019. Hirtz was promoted to Assistant Professor in July 2022 and is currently working on his portfolio for promotion to Associate Professor.

Before working at OCTC, Hirtz taught for Parkland College in Champaign, IL, Murray State University, and Trinity High School in Whitesville, where he still teaches concurrent enrollment mathematics and statistics courses.

In addition to his teaching and department head duties, Hirtz has been OCTC's representative on the KCTCS Faculty Senate Curriculum Review Committee since August 2022 and has been the chair of that committee since August 2023. Hirtz also serves on the Administrative Council, the Scholarship Workgroup, and the Peer Awards Team. Notably he also received a "Making a Difference" award at OCTC for the 2022-2023 school year. This award is based on feedback gathered from graduates during an exit survey.

Nomination Excerpt

Nathan Hirtz inspires students, mentors college learners, is a leader in his department serving with dedication, and provides unwavering support to colleagues. He does this all while maintaining a positive attitude and a genuinely caring demeanor. He skillfully balances his role with his many campus duties. All who have the pleasure of working with him agree that he demonstrates outstanding leadership, advocacy, and leads by example. Hirtz's dedication, positivity, and care for others truly exemplify faculty excellence.

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