Isabella Bank Institute for Entrepreneurship

Eight CMU faculty members have been honored with a prestigious faculty excellence award in 2025 – three of those recipients come from the College of Education and Human Services! Holly Hoffman, Gina McGovern and Pamela Sickinger have all been recognized for their leadership standards, their dedication to prioritizing student success and for nurturing strong connections inside and outside of the classroom.

Both Drs. McGovern and Sickinger received the Excellence in Teaching Award, which recognizes outstanding teaching efforts by faculty. Dr. Hoffman was honored with the Lorrie Ryan Memorial Excellence in Teaching Award. Established in 2006, this award is given each year to a faculty member who inspires students by building a sense of community within the learning environment and demonstrating profound mentorship and respect for others.

Holly Hoffman, Department of Human Development and Family Studies

Dr. Hoffman’s journey to CMU started back when she transferred here as an undergraduate student. CMU felt like home to Dr. Hoffman, and the Early Childhood program best aligned with her future goals. After graduation, she joined the early teaching field and taught Head Start right here on campus, before transitioning to the Human Growth and Development Laboratory (what is now the Child Development and Learning Laboratory), where she could facilitate learning opportunities for young children and families while also working with college student volunteers.

Dr. Hoffman says, “My journey has been filled with joyful and meaningful opportunities— in teaching, research, and service. I am deeply committed to the field of early childhood education, inclusive practices, and leadership. I have been honored to wear many hats at CMU, from Lab School Teacher, Special Education Chairperson, Faculty Director of the Child Development and Learning Laboratory, working in the EHS Dean’s office as a Leadership Fellow, and a Professor in the Human Development and Family Studies Department.”

Through it all, Dr. Hoffman says she is committed to building strong, connected learning communities where humor and joy are at the heart of education.

“Winning the Lorrie Ryan Excellence in Teaching Award is an incredible honor for me – when I learned about this, I was speechless!” Dr. Hoffman adds that this does not happen often. “Lorrie was not only an exceptional professor, but she was also a mentor who truly believed in the power of building community and the impact on student success. To receive this recognition in her name is truly amazing! It aligns with my commitment to fully engaging students and providing meaningful teaching with the hope of making a positive difference. As I soon begin my 30^th year at CMU, I consider myself incredibly lucky to have found a profession I sincerely love. Interacting with college students and wonderful colleagues at CMU fills my bucket!”

Gina McGovern, Department of Human Development and Family Studies

Dr. McGovern started her career working in out-of-school programs before becoming a middle school math teacher and instructional coach. After that, she spent seven years at a large nonprofit where she developed assessment and evaluation measures and professional development experiences for continuous quality improvement in out-of-school time settings. It was there that she first became involved in research exploring social and emotional learning and collaborated with a professor who would become her PhD advisor. 

“Since 2015, I've concentrated on social and emotional development of youth and adults, and how it can support racial healing and attend to issues of equity,” says Dr. McGovern. “I was excited to join CMU in 2021 to teach courses on adolescent development, where I can draw on much of my research and career experiences, as well as program development, where I can support students to consider ways to work with community members to create innovative educational and preventive approaches to address challenging issues. I also have been so grateful for all the student research collaborators I've been able to work with over the past 4 years.”

Dr. McGovern continues, “I am so honored to be selected for this award. My students mean a lot to me, and I work hard to create spaces where they feel supported, encouraged to explore their own interests, and challenged to think for themselves. I try to support their social and emotional development as they chart their own paths for the future. This award is encouragement for me to continue to do the work I love!”  

Pamela Sickinger, Department of Counseling, Educational Leadership and Higher Education

  In 1991, Dr. Sickinger began her career as a school counselor. In that role, she mentored many interns and realized she enjoyed the teaching inherent in providing this type of supervision for counselors in training. In 2013 she earned her doctorate in Counselor Education and Supervision, where she was then able to continue her work as a school counselor while also taking on adjunct positions in person at local universities, online and at other institutions.

By 2021, Dr. Sickinger began to look for opportunities to make the switch to a full-time counselor educator. She found that CMU not only had the CACREP credential, but it was also rolling out a new, fully online program at this time.

“Since joining CMU in 2022, I have taught core counseling courses along with those required for students in the school counseling concentration,” says Dr. Sickinger. “I am fortunate to have colleagues whose intentional efforts have promoted connection to the community and helped me navigate the challenges of this new path.”

“Since receiving the Excellence in Teaching Award, I have thought a lot about the individuals who helped to shape my approach to education. Whether encouraging me to pursue a degree, inspiring me with their own examples of great teaching, or helping to shape my practice through mentorship and encouragement, I know I would not be the teacher I am without the foundation they provided. Each time I enter a new class, the gifts these folks have shared are passed on to my students in the form of positive relationships, high expectations, and the support needed to reach their goals.” Dr. Sickinger continues, “I am grateful to the committee for this award and look forward to continuing to partner with students as they prepare for their future in the counseling profession.”

Congratulations to these three CEHS faculty members, and to all of the faculty excellence award recipients of 2025!