Rio Salado College is excited to honor Dr. Patricia Case as its 2023 Hero of Education. The Heroes of Education award honors champions who have a proven personal and professional commitment to supporting students and ensuring access to life-altering educational opportunities. Dr. Case and the other Heroes of Education were honored during an awards ceremony hosted by the Maricopa Community Colleges Foundation at the Phoenix Art Museum on Thursday, Nov. 16.
“This award is a token of our gratitude for Dr. Case’s many contributions to our students, college, and community since 1990,” said Rio Salado College President Kate Smith. “Her legacy as a faculty member, college leader, volunteer, and philanthropist continues to have a lasting impact.”
Dr. Case has been a vital member of the Rio Salado community for decades. She began her tenure as a residential counseling faculty member in 1990. Two years later, she took on the role of Faculty Chair of Social Sciences, a role she held with distinction for 31 years. As the faculty chair, she helped oversee a sprawling academic department that included disciplines as varied as Sociology, Physical Geography, Economics, Anthropology, and Political Science.
In addition to her work as a faculty member, she was an instrumental part of Rio Salado’s leadership, taking on many roles throughout her tenure.
Dr. Case was one of the founders of the college’s Development Team, and began serving as a co-chair in 1994 until she retired. She also served as Rio Salado’s representative on the Continuous Quality Improvement Network now known as the Alliance for Innovation and Transformation (AFIT) for more than 20 years.
Dr. Case also has the distinction of being the first Rio Salado Senate President to have been elected to serve as President of the MCCCD Faculty Association. She also helped co-found MCCCD’s Strategic Planning Council and served on the 21st Century Faculty Committee.
Dr. Case has been acknowledged for her exemplary work as an educator with other awards including The League for Innovation’s 2012 John and Suanne Roueche Excellence Award, Rio Salado College’s 2010 Woman of Distinction Award, and the 2022 Sloan Consortium Excellence in Online Access Award.
Dr. Case’s passion for making higher education more accessible to students drove her to create the Jo C. Bennett Student Assistance Fund in memory of her mother. The Jo C. Bennett fund helps students be successful in situations where economic hardships may get in the way of getting an education. Rather than make students choose between buying food or paying for their textbooks, the Student Assistance Fund provides them with emergency funds to help them pay for rent, transportation, diapers, or other issues that could deter them from continuing their education.
Dr. Case published numerous journal articles and book chapters. She presented at national conferences throughout her tenure at Rio Salado, advocating for innovative approaches to education at events like The League for Innovation, the National Institute for Staff and Organizational Development, and the North American Council for Staff, Program, and Organizational Development.
In honor of her work helping students succeed, the pivotal role she played in the development of Rio Salado as an institution during its formative years, and the other lasting contributions she has made, we are proud to recognize Dr. Case as our Hero of Education for 2023.
Article by Austin Brietta