Triton College Names 2026 Outstanding Faculty of the Year

Triton College 2026 Outstanding Faculty of the Year honorees Rebecca Fournier (left) and Magdalena Kruszynska stand with President Mary-Rita Moore (right).

RIVER GROVE, Ill. — Triton College is pleased to announce that instructors Rebecca Fournier and Magdalena Kruszynska-Piper have been named the 2026 Outstanding Faculty of the Year.

The award, presented annually to one full-time and one adjunct instructor, honors faculty who demonstrate exceptional dedication to student success, teaching excellence and service to the college community.

“Receiving the Outstanding Faculty of the Year Award is both an honor and humbling, because not many people get a chance to be rewarded for doing what they love,” said Fournier, full-time English faculty.

Fournier has taught at Triton College for 18 years, but her passion for teaching began much earlier. At 8, she was already playing teacher, instructing her dolls in a pretend classroom.

“I was both a teacher and a mom to them,” she said. “I also started writing poetry around that time, so literature was always in me. I just didn’t know it yet.”

She later attended Daley Community College in Chicago, where she studied microbiology before switching to English. While there, she tutored classmates, an experience that reinforced her goal of becoming a teacher.

“I loved it so much that I knew there was nowhere else I wanted to teach but a community college,” she said. “I was lucky to get my dream job at Triton, and I never forgot what it was like to be a community college student.”

That perspective shapes her classroom today. Whether guiding students through the macabre works of Edgar Allan Poe or helping them craft essays, Fournier encourages questions and helps students find their voice, because she remembers being in their shoes once.

“My teaching style is both empowering and practical,” she said. “I believe students need the tools to feel like they can change their lives and the world around them.”

Kruszynska-Piper, Engineering Technology adjunct faculty, has taught at Triton since spring 2020. She specializes in 3D modeling, drafting and AutoCAD, a computer-aided design software used by engineers. In addition to teaching at Triton College, she also teaches dual-credit engineering technology courses at St. Patrick High School in Chicago.

She earned her engineering degree in Poland and studied teaching at a technical university. After moving to the United States, she spent 20 years in manufacturing before transitioning to education. Over time, she saw a growing need for workers with hands-on experience and vocational skills — and decided to help fill that gap.

“I realized I could have the most impact by helping bring students into the workforce and manufacturing,” she said. “For me, it’s a passion, not a job.”

If there’s one part of teaching she dislikes, it’s grading. She focuses less on letter grades and more on the learning experience, emphasizing hands-on projects that build practical skills and encourage creative thinking.

Kruszynska-Piper said the award affirms her decision to move from industry to the classroom.

“This honor has deep meaning for me,” she said. “It shows that the care I give my students is being recognized and motivates me to keep growing with them.”

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Media Contacts:
Melissa Ramirez Cooper | melissacooper@triton.edu | 708-456-0300, Ext. 3496
Hunter Oberst | hunteroberst@triton.edu | 708-456-0300, Ext. 3820

ABOUT TRITON COLLEGE:
Triton College, located at 2000 Fifth Ave., River Grove, is a public institution of higher education dedicated to student success. Recently recognized by the Aspen Institute as one of the Top 200 community colleges in the nation, Triton offers more than 130 degree and certificate programs that prepare students to pursue meaningful careers, transfer to four-year universities, and thrive in a global economy. Guided by our mission—Valuing the individual, educating and serving the community—Triton serves nearly 17,000 students annually on its 110-acre campus in River Grove, Illinois. Our dedicated faculty and staff provide high-quality, accessible and affordable educational opportunities that empower students and strengthens the communities we serve. Triton College is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission and a member of The Illinois Community College Board. Illinois is home to 45 colleges in 39 community college districts. Learn more at triton.edu.