Notre Dame College has recognized a faculty student organization advisor and a student engagement professional for their teaching expertise.
Daniel Zawacki, M.A., instructor of English, has been named the College’s Distinguished Faculty Member for 2022, and Katherine Mazanetz, M.Ed., now the assistant dean of students, has won the Outstanding Teaching Award.
About Daniel Zawacki
In addition to his position on the English faculty, Zawacki serves as an academic advisor and tutor in the Division of Arts and Humanities and as a member of the Honors Advisory Board. He works with students outside of the classroom as advisor for the Pivot, Notre Dame’s literary magazine; the Japanese Pop Culture Club; and the Creative Writing Club.
Zawacki also is known for his acumen with technologies, working as a web curriculum designer and collaborating on the creation of an online version of The Short Story course, both for Notre Dame.
Maggie Williams, assistance professor of biology, shared words written by Zawacki’s student nominators in presenting him the award: “caring, personal, relatable, full of energy … classes are fun yet challenging … always willing to help students … absolutely the greatest teacher I have ever had in my life.”
Zawacki’s contribution to faculty are as a president-elect of the College Faculty Senate, the Faculty Growth and Development Committee and chair of the Faculty Grade Change Committee, among other service positions.
“He is not just an excellent and beloved member of our faculty,” Williams said.
His teaching awards include the Master Teacher Award from the Ohio Board of Career Colleges and the You Make the Difference Award from Virginia Marti College of Art and Design in Lakewood, Ohio.
He serves as a freelance writer and photographer for Artist Review Today in Cleveland and a freelance textbook editor for Fairchild Communications in New York.
Before joining Notre Dame, Zawacki worked as an instructor and as department chair of general and basic studies at Virginia Marti; an assistant instructor at Cleveland State University; an adjunct instructor and tutor at Lorain Community College; and an adjunct instructor and writing center consultant at Cuyahoga Community College, all in Northeast Ohio.
Zawacki earned a Master of Arts in English and a bachelor’s in interpersonal and public communication, both from the University of Akron.
Notre Dame’s Distinguished Faculty Award is presented each year to a full-time faculty member. This award recognizes and encourages excellence in scholarship, teaching and community service.
About Katherine Mazanetz
Mazanetz “wears many hats,” at Notre Dame, according to Zawacki, who presented the Outstanding Teaching Award at the College’s 2022 Honors Convocation. Mazanetz was unable to attend the April event but received the award during a College-wide meeting in May.
She previously served as director of student engagement and leadership, assistant director of student conduct and an admissions counselor at Notre Dame. She also has been teaching a First Year Falcon (FYF) Seminar course at the College for five academic years and has been on the FYF steering committee for three years.
“She always has a smile on her face,” Zawacki said. “She stays in touch with students no matter what.”
Mazanetz is a member of the American College Personnel Association and the Association for Student Conduct Administration.
She earned a Master in Education in college student personnel from Ohio University and a Bachelor of Arts in psychology from The Ohio State University.
Notre Dame’s Outstanding Teaching Award recognizes and rewards excellence in teaching by a part-time faculty member or online instructor at the College.
June 2022
About Notre Dame College
Notre Dame College is a private, Catholic, liberal arts college in South Euclid, Ohio, committed to teaching students how to make a good living and live a good life. Founded by the Sisters of Notre Dame in 1922, the College offers bachelor’s degrees in 30 disciplines plus a variety of master’s degrees, certification programs and continuing and professional development programs for adult learners on campus and online. For more information, visit NotreDameCollege.edu.