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Nell Ann Pickett Service Award

Award Details

The Nell Ann Pickett Service Award is granted each year to an outstanding teacher whose vision and voice have had a major impact on two-year college professionalism and whose teaching exemplifies such outstanding personal qualities as creativity, sensitivity, and leadership. The award, presented at the annual CCCC Awards Ceremony, consists of a plaque and free registration to that year’s conference.

The award is based on an application of no more than two double-spaced typed pages, a current vita, and the following criteria:

1. Major impact on two-year college professionalism.
2. Service qualifications:
   Positive contributions to professional leadership with a clearly national reach and an inclusive vision demonstrated in such activities as mentoring, publication, or work uniting the goals and efforts of organizations and groups that promote two-year colleges.
3. Teaching qualifications:
   Demonstrated past or present excellence in teaching which exemplifies such outstanding personal qualities as creativity, sensitivity, and leadership.

Nominations:
Any person may nominate a service award candidate who meets the qualifications by sending an application of not more than two double-spaced typed pages and a copy of the candidate’s current vita. The selection committee may request other supporting materials.

Nominations for the 2026 award must be submitted electronically, no later than February 2, 2026 (extended), to tyca@ncte.org.

2025 Recipient

Cheryl Hogue Smith, Kingsborough Community College, CUNY

Cheryl Hogue Smith is one of the best friends and advocates the teaching profession could have. Her tireless efforts to both support and advance the teaching of English at two-year colleges is a testament to her dedication to the work we do as teachers.

In addition to her impressive list of research and publications, Cheryl has taken on many leadership roles within TYCA, NCTE, CCCC, and other groups dedicated to the teaching profession. She is a tireless advocate for the essential role of two-year colleges, supporting both faculty and students in their pursuit of academic success.

As her nomination letter noted, Cheryl has a longstanding history of service which is focused on her work with two-year colleges. She has served as the Secretary and Chair of national TYCA, representing this group on the CCCC and 起点传媒Executive Committees. Cheryl has also served as Chair of the TYCA Task Force on 起点传媒, the Chair of the reading network for TYCA, on the 起点传媒Nominating Committee, and was member of the CCCC Structures and Processes Working Group. Outside of her extensive service to these groups, she also works as a reviewer for multiple academic journals and conferences and was highly instrumental in the creation of the first National TYCA Conference.

While Cheryl鈥檚 leadership in national organizations has had a widespread impact, her dedication to the classroom is equally inspiring. It is important to know that as much service as she provides to the broader academic community, Cheryl is, first and foremost, a dedicated teacher. She has taught a wide range of courses, including developmental composition, basic writing, first-year composition, Shakespeare, and literature courses, many of which include a strong focus on multimodal assignments. Her innovative approach to multimodal assignments not only enhances student engagement but also equips them with diverse communication skills essential for academic and professional success.

This dedication to helping students engage with learning is at the core of who Cheryl is as a teacher. Her nomination letter highlighted the role she has played at Kingsborough Community College in 鈥渄eveloping and implementing innovative teaching practices that enhance student learning and engagement,鈥� in particular, her work with the Writing and Reading Across the Curriculum Program 鈥渉as provided valuable professional development for faculty, promoting interdisciplinary collaboration and improving instructional strategies.鈥�

Cheryl Hogue Smith represents what is good and right about the teaching profession. She is a dedicated teacher and colleague, the kind of person you want to work with because you know you will learn with her and from her. Cheryl exemplifies the absolute best of the teaching profession. Her dedication, leadership, and commitment to student success make her an outstanding candidate for this award.