Penn State honors faculty member
SHARON, Pa. -- Dr. Gaylene Douctre, assistant professor of kinesiology and director of intramurals, athletics and recreation sports, has been named teacher of the year at Penn State Shenango.
The Leonard R. Riforgiato Memorial Teaching Award is bestowed on a full-time faculty member selected by both their peers and students. It's named after Dr. Leonard Riforgiato, who was an associate professor of history and the first recipient of the Penn State Shenango Teaching Award. He died in 1999.
Douctre has been part of Penn State for more than 30 years, initially hired in 1973 as a physical education instructor. She became an assistant professor of physical education in 1974.
She has received numerous awards for her accomplishments, having served as women's basketball and softball coach at the campus. She won four Coach of the Year awards in the 1980s and was given the university's Robert J. Scannell Award for her service to its Commonwealth Education System in 1997.
She lives in Liberty Township, Ohio, and serves on the campus retention, continuing education and student activity fee committees. She also serves on the university's Commonwealth College Advisory Board Committee for Kinesiology.
Penn State Shenango also has presented its first Administrative Excellence and Staff Excellence awards.
Margaret Horne, admissions counselor, was presented with the former and Vickie Davis, staff assistant in the Office of Student Affairs, was given the latter.