Congratulations to IVC’s Teachers of the Year for the 2022-23 academic year who were recognized at IVC’s Employee Recognition Ceremony on May 8, as well as the South Orange County Community College District Board of Trustees on April 24. The Teacher of the Year program identifies and honors exemplary teachers and highlights educational innovation, student learning, and the rewards of teaching.
Winnie Dinh: Outstanding Full-time Teacher of the Year
Winnie Dinh has been educated locally, receiving her B.A. in English from the University of California, Los Angeles, and her M.S. in TESOL from California State University, Fullerton, as well as abroad in Mexico, Peru, and Brazil. She brings a wealth of cultural and linguistic experience to her work at IVC.
Throughout her career, Winnie has taught English in multiple countries, and since joining IVC in August 2021, she continues to contribute to the IVC community by teaching several courses in the English as a Second Language (ESL) Department. Students have expressed that Winnie’s patience, encouragement, and enthusiasm have given them the courage to speak and practice their new language skills enabling them to better acclimate to their environment. They also praised her teaching style as engaging and specifically acknowledged their enjoyment of the cultural activities she incorporated into their lessons.
Going above and beyond her teaching responsibilities with active involvement in various facets of IVC, Winnie serves on the Student Success and Equity Council, Guided Pathways task force, and ESL full-time hiring committee. Winnie’s dedication to the students of IVC is evident in her commitment to co-curricular support as a co-advisor for the Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Club. Through innovation and experimentation, Winnie focuses on fostering an inclusive learning environment for her students and works diligently to provide the students with the tools they need to succeed.
Hartrisha Dhindsa, Outstanding Part-time Teacher of the Year
Hartrisha Dhindsa earned an Associate in Arts in Psychology as a student at Irvine Valley College and, continuing to pursue her career, obtained a B.A. from the University of California, Irvine, an M.A. from California State University, Fullerton, and an M.A. from Claremont Graduate University, where she is currently pursuing a Ph.D.
Since returning to IVC as a professor in January 2020, Hartrisha continues to contribute to the IVC community by teaching several courses in the Psychology Department. Students praise her willingness to offer help and guidance as well as her extensive knowledge and constant patience in her role as their teacher. Hartrisha offers valuable insight to IVC with her extensive applied research focused on promoting positive development across diverse populations, specifically youth who are minorities, low-income, victims of abuse, or otherwise marginalized.
Hartrisha has published and presented at a variety of conferences pertaining to the field of psychology and social and behavioral sciences. Going above and beyond her teaching responsibilities with active involvement in various facets of IVC, Hartrisha is a member of the Institutional Review Board and Guided Pathways Committee. Her dedication to the students of IVC is apparent in her commitment to co-curricular support as a faculty mentor for Psi Beta Community College National Honor Society in Psychology. It is evident by the praise received by those with whom she works that Hartrisha truly cares about teaching and her students, from supporting student research projects to her active involvement in the Psychology Department and IVC community.
Rosa Turi, Outstanding Emeritus Teacher of the Year
Rosa Turi has continued to contribute her extensive health and fitness experience to the Emeritus Institute since she began teaching line dancing for mature adults in 2018. Throughout her career, she has taught hundreds of adult students as a line dance instructor for over 20 years and a Turbo Kick instructor for more than 10 years. In their nominations, students expressed their appreciation for the welcoming class environment that she cultivates, specifically praising her dedication to learning and addressing each student by name and her patience in communicating with non-English speaking students.
Having the ability to treat her students equally and respectfully, Rosa fosters an inclusive learning environment. She listens to their requests and provides sincere feedback.
Rosa’s dedication to her students at the Emeritus Institute is evident by her commitment to continuing to make her class available even when it was necessary to migrate to an unfamiliar virtual format due to the pandemic. With a unique sense of humor, high energy, and passion, Rosa presents to her students a variety of dance styles and challenges, engaging both their bodies and minds.