NORFOLK, NE – A faculty member at Northeast Community College has been selected as Nebraska’s top community college educator.
Michael Roeber, agriculture/livestock judging instructor, was presented the 2018 Nebraska Community College Association’s Faculty Member Award during the NCCA’s Annual Conference, held at the Lifelong Learning Center on the Northeast campus recently. The award is presented annually to a full-time Nebraska community college instructor who has made significant contributions in the classroom.
“Mike Roeber is passionate about his subject matter and continually strives to provide rich learning experiences for all of his students,” said Lyle Kathol, vice president of educational services at Northeast. He is an animal science instructor and also a livestock judging coach who spends many hours in the classroom and lab, numerous weekends on the road with his livestock judging team, and hosting many agricultural events at the College.”
Whether it is in the classroom or in competition, Roeber is described as continually getting the best out of his students. Kathol said year-after-year, his students credit him for his dedication, knowledge and commitment to excellence.
“They are willing to work hard for Mr. Roeber because they know he cares. Everyone greatly appreciates his positive attitude and generous spirit in changing students’ lives for the better.”
Roeber devotes his time not only to Northeast Community College students, but to students of all ages from northeast Nebraska and beyond. He helps to oversee and utilize Northeast’s Chuck M. Pohlman Agriculture Complex for numerous educational and extra-curricular events, one of which occurred earlier this year.
Roeber oversaw the major task of hosting the 2018 North American Colleges and Teachers of Agriculture (NACTA) Livestock Judging Conference this past spring. The event attracted over 850 competitors and others from two-and-four year colleges from across the country. In addition, Roeber has organized and hosted countless livestock competitions and FFA events touching the lives of literally thousands of students each year. Northeast students enrolled in the animal science programs assist with these events, which have had a significant impact on their education.
In traveling the thousands of miles each year to and from judging conferences gives Roeber and his students plenty of time to talk and reflect about life. At the awards ceremony, he shared a conversation with one student who graduated twenty-one years ago who once told him, “You know, you tried to teach us a lot of stuff about life when going up and down the road. We wished we had listen to you a little bit sooner.”
Roeber reflected, “He didn’t have to say that. But I knew then I was making a difference.”
He was humbled to receive the award from the NCCA.
“I am also very appreciative of all my colleagues that helped me get to where I am today.”
The Nebraska Community Association is comprised of Central, Mid-Plains, Northeast, Southeast and Western Nebraska community colleges.
--###--
PHOTO CUTLINE
Kent Miller, president of the Nebraska Community College Association (NCCA) Board of Directors, (left) presents Mike Roeber, agriculture/livestock judging coach at Northeast Community College, with the 2018 NCCA Faculty Member Award. The award is presented annually to a full-time Nebraska community college instructor who has made significant contributions in the classroom.