Westmoreland Presents Outstanding Teaching Award to Dr. Rebecca Gediminskas

January 9, 2019 Youngwood, Pa.

Westmoreland County Community College named nursing professor, Dr. Rebecca Gediminskas of Irwin as the recipient of the Full-Time Faculty Teaching Excellence Award.

Presented by Dr. Kristy Bishop, vice president for Academic Affairs, the award recognizes and honors a Westmoreland full-time faculty member who demonstrates excellence in the classroom, instructional innovation, contributions to the community and leadership with the college.  Faculty are nominated by students and the winner is selected by a committee of their peers.   This year, 15 faculty members were nominated for the award.

Gediminskas holds a Doctor of Nursing Practice from Carlow University and master’s and bachelor’s degrees from the University of Pittsburgh. She has served as a full-time faculty member since 1990 and had previously served as a clinical instructor.

She is now a professor who served as interim dean of the School of Health Professions and Natural Science. Before joining Westmoreland, Gediminskas worked in the nursing field at the now closed Monsour Medical Center, Magee Woman’s Hospital and Western Pennsylvania Hospital in Pittsburgh, part of the Allegheny Health Network.

“Becky is so deserving of this award,” said Bishop. “She is not only a very accomplished instructor, but she also freely gives of her time to students, the college and the community.” 

This is the third time Gedniminskas has been honored with the Outstanding Teaching Award; she received the award in 1999 and 2010 and has been nominated four times by her students.

Gediminskas is involved in multiple committees and groups at the college and she has been a part of several organizations in the Norwin area for many years.  She was a Norwin school director for 16 years.

In the nomination, the student described Gediminskas as “knowledgeable and extremely patient.”  She is truly an “amazing nurse and clinical instructor.”

“I have been teaching for almost 29 years, but I am still learning how to maximize my effectiveness,” stated Gediminskas. “I have the best teachers, my students. I am inspired daily by their dedication and effort to complete their degree. For most it is not easy, but they never give up. I am so lucky to have a profession that  helps students transform their lives.”

Gediminskas received the award on Tuesday during a faculty meeting in Founders Hall Amphitheater, Youngwood campus.