Previous Faculty Award Winners
Emerson
AY2022–2023
Leigh Kellmann Kolb
Leigh Kellmann Kolb is an Associate Professor of English at East Central College. She has an MFA in Writing and a bachelor’s degree in English. Prior to ECC, where she has been a faculty member for 15 years, Leigh worked in journalism and corporate communications. She teaches Composition courses, including the Honors Composition sequence, Film Studies, Diversity in the Media, Women’s Literature, African American Literature, and the American Literature sequence; she also advises student publications, including the Cornerstone newspaper and CUSP Arts and Culture magazine. She serves as a faculty mentor for students in the Humanities Pathway, and helps organize cocurricular opportunities, including a spring break trip to London for Arts and Humanities students. She is the co-chair of the campus DEI committee and Honors Program initiative and has been involved in Guided Pathways, NEA, Faculty Association, and the Civic and Community Engagement Coalition. Leigh also organizes the ECC Film and Lecture Series, which brings documentaries, narrative films, scholars, authors, journalists, and poets to campus throughout the year. Her writing about film and television has appeared in numerous books, magazines, and online publications. She serves as a screener and juror for film festivals such as the True/False Film Festival, St. Louis International Film Festival, and the Riverside Short Film Festival.
MCCA
AY2023–2024
Ellen Aramburu
Ellen Aramburu is a dedicated educator with a passion for languages and global understanding. She earned a B.A. in English and Spanish from Benedictine College in Atchison, KS and an M.A. in Spanish from St. Louis University, completing much of the M.A. coursework at the SLU-Madrid campus. After completing her studies, Ellen continued to live in Spain and taught English to business and engineering executives before returning home to teach Spanish full time at the Missouri University of Science & Technology. Ellen began working full time at East Central College in 2006, initially managing the Learning Center before returning to the classroom as Spanish faculty in 2014. Currently, she teaches Elementary and Intermediate Spanish courses and World Geography. She has served as Chair of the Missouri Consortium for Global Education (MCGE) and has helped to coordinate global education initiatives on campus, primarily the events and activities marking International Education Week. Ellen’s personal love for travel not only enriches her life but also enhances her Spanish and Geography classroom presentations.
AY2022–2023
Tracy Mowery
Tracy L. Mowery is an Associate Professor of Biology at East Central College – Rolla. She has a Masters of Natural Science from Southeast Missouri State in Cape Girardeau, Missouri, and has been faculty at East Central College for 15 years. Prior to East Central College, Tracy was faculty at Southwest Tennessee Community College in Memphis, Tennessee. Tracy primarily teaches Human Anatomy & Physiology courses, is the Rolla SGA Faculty Advisor, and serves as the Vice President of the ECC Faculty Association. She has been a longtime member of the Human Anatomy & Physiology Society and a reviewer of articles for the HAPs Educator. She lives in Salem with her husband where they raise beef cattle. She is an active member of both the Salem FFA Alumni Association and the Missouri Cattlemen’s Association. She enjoys spending time with her two grown daughters, especially visiting new places. Her hobbies include reading, any outdoor activity, nature photography and gardening.