Many educators at University of Maryland Global Campus (UMGC) have something in common with their students. They earned degrees later in life or have career trajectories in the public and private sectors, come from military families or have lived outside the United States. They place a premium on lifelong learning.
Ten of those educators have been named recipients of the 2024-25 Stanley J. Drazek Teaching Excellence Award, the highest faculty honor bestowed at UMGC.
“UMGC is an organization that is student centered, which allows me to do what I love: support students in laying a strong foundation for success, not only in their academic pursuits but throughout their lives,” said Drazek winner Brenda Forbes.Â
Nominations for the awards, which carry a small honorarium, come from students. The 2025 award recipients—two faculty members in Asia, two in Europe and six in the United States—teach across a range of disciplines, from English to information technology, but they are united in one way. They see themselves as collaborators in their students’ success.
Forbes said the university creates a supportive environment where students feel seen, valued and reassured that they are never alone on their academic journey. Other Drazek winners echoed Forbes, saying their career satisfaction comes from watching their students achieve.
“I believe that a genuine benevolent interest in my students and the wish to see them succeed are the special ingredients that turn expertise into passion,” said Ingrid De Los Angeles, an adjunct assistant professor of German language, German culture and business for UMGC Europe. 
De Los Angeles said the diversity of the UMGC student body—“diversity in age, cultural background, focus of study, as well as military and civilian experience”—also makes classes more interesting for both her and her students.
Drazek winner Ashlee Voyce, also with UMGC Europe, agreed. The collegiate associate professor of biology and nutrition noted that her students bring perspectives forged from their own experiences—and that deepens her knowledge, too.
“I enjoy teaching UMGC students because they are eager to learn,” Voyce said. “As non-traditional students, they bring their real-life experiences into the classroom, which enriches our discussions.”   
For Drazek Award winner Frank Concilus, who has taught with UMGC Asia for 50 years, the broad range of students drawn to UMGC is what he likes best.
“I have always loved the variety of learners that we have the opportunity to teach at UMGC,” said Concilus, an overseas collegiate professor based in Korea.Â
He earned a master’s degree in East Asian regional studies at Harvard University before joining the Peace Corps for an assignment in South Korea. He subsequently returned to Asia and, for the last five decades, has taught at a number of courses, including speech, writing, East Asian culture and East Asian religion at UMGC in Korea and Japan.
Another Drazek winner with UMGC Asia, Welsh-born Owen Phillips, teaches in one of the university’s most unusual initiatives, the Bridge Program. This program, which enables UMGC to make a meaningful difference in communities where it has a footprint, exposes Japanese nationals to U.S. culture and the English language proficiency they need to pursue degrees at U.S. universities or to embark on international careers.  Â
“After 10 years with UMGC, one of the biggest annual highlights is seeing former Bridge Program students now graduating with University of Maryland [Global Campus] associate, bachelor’s and post-graduate degrees,” Phillips said.
Two of the stateside Drazek award winners, including Forbes, are among the first faculty members that students see at the start of their academic journeys. Another is among the last.
Forbes teaches the required introductory course Program and Career Exploration (PACE) 111. She has been on UMGC’s faculty for five years, and as “a proud military spouse,” she empathizes with the challenges facing her students.
“Each term, I remind my students of this truth: You are on an incredible journey. This journey is a process. One that is challenging, exhausting, uncomfortable, frustrating and sometimes even frightening,” she said. “There will be moments when you feel like giving up, when turning away seems easier than pushing forward. But remember, what lies on the other side of this process is far more valuable than the struggles it takes to get there.”Â
Drazek winner Deborah Holt, who also teaches PACE, knows what it’s like to return to school as an adult because she did just that.
“Before entering academia, I was an adult learner balancing work, life and school,” said Holt, who holds master’s degrees in leadership in teaching and in humanities, with a concentration in philosophy. “I transitioned into teaching in 2009 after a rewarding career in the insurance industry, and I still enjoy teaching insurance-related courses as part of my ongoing passion for the field.” 
Holt also knows what it’s like to live for stretches outside the United States, as military-affiliated students do. She grew up in both the Panama Canal Zone and Frankfurt, Germany, thanks to her father’s job.
Ross McKenzie, meanwhile, teaches the capstone course in the university’s Information System Management (IFSM) program, putting him at the finish line for many students. Â
“My favorite thing about teaching UMGC students is watching their sense of accomplishment as they finish a program of studies that they may have spent many years pursuing,” he said. “I have taught both IFSM 300 and IFSM 495—bookends of the program—and it is incredibly fulfilling to see students as they start and finish. Their sense of pride by the time they finish is sky-high, and they all look forward to graduation.”
Ross, who is director of information technology at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, is also a UMGC graduate himself. His three master’s degrees include an 91ÖĆƬł§ from UMGC.Â
Teaching from life experience
Servicemembers make up a large swath of UMGC’s enrollment. Drazek recipient Steve Corbett, a professor of history, understands both the demands of military life and the pressures felt by students who are the first in their families to graduate from college.
Corbett, an army veteran, grew up in a multilingual household with a “Caribbean-born mother, and a U.S.-born father who was a child of the Great Depression with an 11th-grade education.” Corbett described himself as “a bad reader” as a child. His parents pushed him to graduate from high school but not expect him to continue his education beyond that.
“I chose a different path. As a â€first-gen’ college graduate, I worked my way through my local state university, helped partway by an Army ROTC scholarship,” he said. “I entered the army, intending to serve four years then return home to teach history and coach baseball. Twenty-eight years later, I finally got around to those.” Â
Other Drazek winners bring to the classroom their experience as practitioners in the public and private sectors. Julie DeLoria, an adjunct professor in the School of Business master’s program, served 15 years with the federal government, eventually rising to become the special assistant to the assistant commissioner in the Office of Training and Development with U.S. Customs and Border Protection. She said several civilian and military leaders served as mentors to her, and she pays this forward.
DeLoria explained that she feels successful only if her students are, adding that there is nothing more rewarding than seeing students reach their academic goals.
Like DeLoria, Heather Carnes deepens classroom lectures with lessons from her career. Carnes, who has taught both undergraduate and graduate courses at UMGC for the past seven years, is an experienced human resources executive and the owner of her own consulting firm, Envision HR LLC.
 “My favorite part of teaching UMGC students is the opportunity to mentor them as they navigate their academic and professional journeys,” she said. “As an educator, I greatly enjoy helping students bridge the gap between academic theory and real-world business practices. I love assisting students in learning new concepts, building critical thinking skills and applying their knowledge in ways that drive business innovation and change.Â
“Seeing them grow in confidence and succeed is incredibly rewarding, and I am honored to be part of their journey,” she added.
In addition to the Drazek Teaching Excellence Award, the university also recognized 10 faculty members with Teaching Recognition Awards.
This year’s Teaching Recognition Award recipients are:
Bonnie Bayless, an academic advisor for UMGC in Kuwait.
Adjunct Professor of Business Beth Castiglia.
Adjunct Assistant Professor Robin Dorman, who is part of the writing faculty.
Adjunct Associate Professor Beate Kinzel, who teaches data literacy, information management and a PACE course tailored for technology students.
Tatsuki Matsui, an adjunct associate professor of math, science and statistics for UMGC Asia.Â
Adjunct Professor Sarah Sacket, who teaches in the First Year Experience program.
Maria Staton, an overseas collegiate professor of English based in Japan.
UMGC Europe Adjunct Professor Catherine Wadle, who teaches English and academic writing in Germany.
Adjunct Professor Pamela Wren, who teaches writing within the First Year Experience program.
Robert Yalden, a U.S. Army cyber intelligence analyst and digital forensic examiner who teaches criminal justice.
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