News Article

NORTH EAST, Md. – Cecil College is proud to announce the recipients of the 2021 Faculty Awards for their exceptional dedication and commitment in their fields of expertise, focusing on the betterment of Cecil County and its residents. During last week’s All-College Day presentations, Richard Koch and Christine Warwick were recognized for making Cecil College the foundation of the community. Both awardees were recognized in the area of Service.

For over twenty-five years, Richard “Rick” Koch has been with the Cecil County paramedic program in one role or another. He completed the program and obtained his advanced degree to teach, becoming the lead instructor and then director of the program. He is currently serving as assistant director of the paramedic program in partnership with the Cecil County Department of Emergency Services.

Koch has been instrumental in developing and fostering the growth of the paramedic program at Cecil College. He also oversaw the initial accreditation by the Committee on Accreditation of Educational Programs for the Emergency Medical Services Professions (CoAEMSP) of the paramedic program. He has ensured that the program continues to exceed regional expectations and national standards. The paramedic program has had continued approval by the Maryland Institute for Emergency Medical Services Systems (MIEMSS).

Koch has supported the unique collaboration between Cecil College and the Cecil County Department of Emergency Services, enhancing the paramedic program. He has continually implemented innovative strategies to improve education and increase qualified paramedic students eligible for their national registry exam. Upon completing the program, students work in Cecil County and surrounding areas as first responders to provide emergency health services to citizens in the community.

He has worked to increase enrollment of eligible candidates through EMS services, improve the paramedic program pass rate, increase the number of qualified first responders and support the program and College’s mission through work with stakeholders for continuous improvement.

During an already challenging year, Christine “Chris” Warwick, Chair of the Science Department, challenged herself even more by developing and implementing several new initiatives. In this past year, she has developed a new concentration within the biology degree – Biomedical Science, attracting students into areas such as laboratory technology and pre-med and pre-dental programs.

She worked closely with the Biomedical Department at the University of Delaware, forming an articulation into their program, allowing more students to use Cecil College as a stepping stone to a bachelor’s degree.

Warwick was also instrumental in creating an entirely new degree in Bioproduction, bringing this cutting-edge program to Cecil County. The BIP program required extensive work making connections within the industry, such as the Jefferson Institute for Bioproduction (JIB) and Aberdeen Proving Ground, and researching with other institutions to purchase the best, most appropriate instrumentation. In addition to creating these programs, Warwick has also developed articulations with the University of Delaware and Thomas Jefferson University and is completing an articulation with UMBC.

This willingness to explore different areas of science has made the science department more attractive to a broader range of students and potentially meets a much more comprehensive range of community and workforce needs. By developing multiple pathways for students, Warwick has created opportunities for students to move seamlessly to higher degrees in their field of interest or to enter fulfilling careers with a two-year degree.