LEWISTON, Idaho – Four Lewis-Clark State College employees were recently honored by the Career Technical Educators of Idaho (CTEI) with its Teaching Excellence Awards for 2023.
Rodney Farrington, an associate professor in the LC State Hospitality Management program, was selected as the Region 2 Postsecondary Teacher of the Year, while Magen Goforth, an assistant professor also in the Hospitality Management program, was chosen as the region’s New Teacher of the Year. Both were honored for demonstrating innovation in the classroom, commitment to students, and their dedication to improvement of CTE at LC State and in the community.
Farrington has been involved in the hospitality industry for more than four decades and has taught at the college for seven years. He said his goal is to grow and expand the Hospitality Management program at the college to become the premier program in the state. Goforth is a former restaurant owner who began teaching classes at LC State in 2021.
LC State’s Hospitality Management program features a semester of career exploration. Career pathways in the program include hotel/resort management, food and beverage management, culinary arts, travel and tourism, events planning, and destination marketing and promotions.
Two other LC State employees were honored by CTEI. Liz Weldy was selected as the Region 2 Counseling & Career Development Professional Award winner, while Stephanie Lathrop was chosen as the Carl Perkins Community Service Award winner for Idaho. Weldy is the CTE transition coordinator at the college and was honored for her commitment to connecting students with opportunities for success, showing innovation in career exploration and development, and advocating for CTE as a viable option for all students. The Carl Perkins Community Service Award honors an individual who has used CTE to make a significant impact on their community and demonstrated leadership in programs and activities that promote student involvement in community service. Lathrop is the director of the LC State Learning Resource Center.