EFSC Announces 2026 Endowed Faculty Chair Awards

Eastern Florida State College leadership recently named Dorothy McCalla, Julie Manuel and Maria Strawn as the recipients of the 2026 Endowed Faculty Chair Awards.

This distinguished recognition honors full-time faculty who demonstrate exceptional teaching excellence, innovation, and commitment to student success. The program celebrates faculty whose work reflects the highest standard of instructional quality and advances the College’s mission.

Funded by the EFSC Foundation, each award recognizes the development of a high-impact, innovative project designed to enhance student learning. Recipients are selected through a comprehensive review process that includes evaluation of the project proposal, supporting portfolio material, and a final presentation.

Dorothy McCalla was named the recipient of the 2026 Barnes & Noble Endowed Faculty Chair Award for her project entitled Preparing Students for Math Courses. McCalla has been a full-time instructor at EFSC for 22 years and is the Associate Professor for Arts, Humanities, and Library Science on the Palm Bay Campus.

Julie Manuel was the recipient of the EFSC Endowed Faculty Chair for her project entitled Bridging Humanities with Technology. Manuel has worked at EFSC full-time for eight years and is an Assistant Professor, Mathematics on the Melbourne Campus.

Maria Strawn is a Mathematics Professor at EFSC on the Cocoa Campus. She was named the recipient of the Board of Governors Endowed Chair Award for her project: Math Self-Efficacy of Students in MGF 1130/1131 at Florida Colleges. She has been a full-time instructor at EFSC for 10 years.

“Associate Professor Dorothy McCalla, Assistant Professor Julie Manuel, and Professor Maria Strawn represent the very best of Eastern Florida State College's commitment to academic excellence and student success," said EFSC President Dr. Jim Richey. “Their projects reflect a deep understanding of how students learn and the support they need to thrive, build confidence, and achieve their educational goals. This recognition is well-deserved, and I congratulate each of them on this significant achievement."

As part of the award, recipients receive a stipend along with dedicated funding to support the implementation of their proposed projects, further contributing to the advancement of instructional practices and student outcomes.

For more information about EFSC, visit easternflorida.edu.

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