Mohebbian, Fosterwelsh named Gussler Fellows
May 5, 2021
From left: Dr. Larry Ferguson, ACTC President/CEO, Bob Maher, ACTC Board of Directors and member of The Community and Technical College Foundation of Ashland, Inc. (CTCFA) Board, Professor Wendy Fosterwelsh, and John Stewart, CFTCA Board Chair.
From left: Dr. Larry Ferguson, ACTC President/CEO, Bob Maher, ACTC Board of Directors and member of The Community and Technical College Foundation of Ashland, Inc. (CTCFA) Board, Professor Hossein Mohebbian, and John Stewart, CFTCA Board Chair.
ASHLAND, Ky. – Ashland Community and Technical College professors Hossein Mohebbian and Wendy Fosterwelsh were named 2021 Gussler Fellows during a private ceremony on May 5.
Professor Mohebbian, mathematics professor at ACTC, received the Gussler Family Endowed Chair in Science and Mathematics Award and Professor Fosterwelsh, ACTC art professor, received the Gussler Family Endowed Chair in Humanities Award.
In 2007, Dr. C. Gordon Gussler and his wife, Dixie Gussler, established the Gussler Fellow Award. As a distinguished alumnus of Ashland Community College, Dr. Gussler wanted to reward and encourage outstanding math and science faculty who foster in their students a desire to learn and reach their maximum potential.
In 2019, the fellowship was expanded to include an award for an outstanding humanities faculty member.
This is the second time Professor Mohebbian has earned the award, as he was a recipient of the same honor in 2015.
Professor Mohebbian earned a Masters of Arts in Mathematics from Marshall University in 1983. He has taught at ACTC since January 1991.
“It is an honor to receive such an important award,” said Mohebbian. “I have been teaching for 38 years, and I continue to enjoy what I do. Being able to work with students is something I still find pleasure in, and working with my colleagues, who I consider friends, is also an honor.”
Professor Fosterwelsh earned a Masters of Fine Arts in Painting from Georgia Southern University in 2004, and went on to earn a Masters of Science in Higher Education Educational Policy Studies and Evaluation from the University of Kentucky in 2018. She has taught at ACTC for fourteen years.
“It really means a lot to me to be recognized, because we have so many wonderful faculty members who do great work. It’s really great to be acknowledged for what I have done and continue to do, as well as what my students do,” said Fosterwelsh.
Recipients are nominated by students, fellow faculty or college staff for empowering and motivating students to succeed beyond their experiences.
