Aiken Technical College’s math department chair Lynn Rickabaugh has been named the Faculty Member of the Year for the southern region by the Association of Community College Trustees (ACCT).
“An outstanding mathematics instructor and leader, Ms. Rickabaugh has pioneered innovations in mathematics course delivery, implemented curriculum and course re-design to meet program needs,” said Joe Lewis, chair of the Aiken County Commission for Technical and Comprehensive Education.
Lewis said Rickabaugh has also developed initiatives to bolster student success in mathematics, and worked with representatives from K-12 schools and four-year colleges to promote course alignment.
ACCT will recognize Rickabaugh and other regional award recipients in October during its annual Leadership Congress. The national Faculty Member of the Year award winner will also be announced during the event.
Rickabaugh has taught math at Aiken Tech for 33 years and has been the department’s chair for the last 14 years.
Rickabaugh said it is an honor to be recognized as one of the top faculty members in the nation.
“I really appreciate Aiken Technical College President Dr. Forest Mahan and the ATC trustees who believed in me enough to nominate me for this recognition,” she said. “This award validates that the years I have devoted to this profession and institution have been meaningful and impactful.”
According to a press release from Aiken Tech, Rickabaugh said her love for math has grown from the guidance and help of her father in the subject.
“When I was in third grade, my daddy would sit at the kitchen table with me and help me with my math homework. I just could not get it, so I would sit there and cry,” she said. “My daddy was always very patient and encouraging, and he never gave up on me. He helped me believe in myself. By the time I was in high school, I had won several math competitions. Math had become my favorite subject.”
Inspired by her dad, Rickabaugh would often help other students in class by explaining the material.
“This affirmed to me that I would be a great teacher,” she said.
Her approach to teaching involves using various methods, including teaching concepts through real-world applicants, asking questions to encourage discussion amongst students, and creating videos to teach and answer questions.
“She constantly seeks innovative ways to address barriers to student success,” stated the Aiken Tech press release. “She has introduced Open Math Labs, which requires students to spend time in the Math Lab working on assignments, led summer math boot camps to help the students prepare for college math courses, and has included math tutors in the classroom.”
Rickabaugh also uses open educational resources (OER) materials to create custom courses. This has eliminated the need for math textbooks and thus reduced costs for students while enhancing learning opportunities.
“I use a learning platform that allows me to create my own assignments for every course and upload them for student success,” Rickabaugh said. “With this method, students get immediate feedback on every assignment, which is vital for grasping math concepts.”
Rickabaugh also said every course has a forum that allows students to ask others in the class questions about homework problems.
“This student-to-student interaction is helpful to both the student asking the question and the student explaining the problem,” she said.
In 2023, Rickabaugh received the Professor for Affordable Learning award from the Partnership for Academic Libraries of South Carolina for her innovative use of OER.
However, seeing her students succeed brings her the most joy as an instructor.
“I love knowing that I get the opportunity every day to make a difference in a student’s life,” she said. “Most times, we never hear that we have made an impact, but those who share their stories motivate me to make each day count.”
