Top Teachers Honored by LTCC Foundation
July 1, 2019
LTCC Mathematics/Physics instructor Bruce Armbrust, American Sign Language instructor
Karla Johnston, and Accounting/Business instructor Dr. Jon Kingsbury (center on the
left, flanked by Academic Senate President Dr. Scott Lukas and LTCC President Jeff
DeFranco) are all being honored for their outstanding work in the classroom and their
dedication to LTCC’s students. Armbrust was chosen by his fellow LTCC faculty members
as the Distinguished Faculty Award winner for 2019. Johnston was also selected by
her fellow faculty members as their choice for Distinguished Adjunct Instructor of
the Year. Dr. Kingsbury was selected by LTCC’s students as Teacher of the Year. Each
award winner will personally receive $500 each thanks to a generous donation by the
LTCC Foundation. They will also each get to direct another $500 towards the LTCC academic
program or student scholarship of their choice.
Armbrust started at LTCC in 1999, and has been a perennial favorite with students and his fellow faculty members ever since. He’s known for his student-centered approach and expertise in the classroom along with his total dedication to all students, including the many students he’s personally assisted who are in LTCC’s Incarcerated Students Program (ISP). In the nominating application for this award, one of his fellow faculty members wrote that Armbrust understands “that all students, regardless of their circumstances, should be afforded access to higher education. Whether teaching Calculus students at LTCC or basic arithmetic in High Desert State Prison, Bruce loves to teach math and help students meet their highest potential.” Armbrust earned his B.A. from DePauw University and his M.S. from Colorado State University.
Dr. Kingsbury was hired in 2004 as the college’s Accounting/Business faculty member. He holds a B.B.A. in Business Administration: Accounting/Finance from the University of Massachusetts, an M.B.A. in Business Administration: Finance/Management from the University of Massachusetts, and an Ed.D. in Multicultural Education from Alliant International University. Dr. Kingsbury teaches both accounting and business courses, and also serves as the college’s Academic Senate Vice President.
Johnston has been the main force behind LTCC’s American Sign Language program for the past 24 years. She originally created the program and has instructed in it all these years. Her compassion and connection to her students is a source of inspiration to her fellow faculty members. In nominating her, another faculty member at LTCC wrote, “In 2014, she founded the Lake Tahoe Mindfulness Community, which seeks to encourage compassionate and grateful living. Karla embodies this trait in all she does. It is clear that her compassion for teaching derives from a pure dedication to helping students serve the deaf community.”
LTCC’s Distinguished Faculty Award, Distinguished Adjunct Faculty Award, and the Teacher of the Year Award are made possible through the support of the college’s Foundation and its many generous donors. The Foundation recognizes the importance of high-quality instruction, and each year honors the very best instructors at the college with financial support they can use to further their own educations and to enhance the quality of their academic programs at LTCC. To make a donation, please go to www.ltcc.edu/giving, or call the LTCC Foundation at (530) 541-4660 ext. 245.