Associate professor Jill Mitchell, who has taught accounting courses at Northern Virginia Community College since 2008, has been honored as one of Virginia’s Outstanding Faculty Award winners for 2019.
March 7th awards luncheon in Richmond. (l to r): Peter Blake, SCHEV Dir., Jill Mitchell, W. Heywood Fralin, SCHEV Chmn., Hunter Applewhite, president of the Dominion Energy Charitable Foundation. SCHEV photo by Pierre Courtois
Mitchell is one of 13 faculty members from across Virginia – and the only VCCS instructor — to be honored this year by the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia (SCHEV). SCHEV recognizes instructors who exemplify the highest standards of teaching, scholarship, mentoring, community service and research.
“My goal is to open students’ eyes to what a career in accounting can do for them, and instill in them the importance of accounting in any business role,” said Mitchell. “I always tell my students that I hope that one day they will find a job where on Monday mornings, they are excited to jump out of bed and eager to get to work! That is how I feel about being a teacher – it’s one the best decisions I have ever made. I found my true professional passion, and it wasn’t what I thought it would be.”
“NOVA is extraordinarily proud of Jill Mitchell,” said NOVA President Scott Ralls. “It’s an honor that among all SCHEV Outstanding Faculty Award winners, the only community college faculty winner is one of our own. She is a wonderful advocate and mentor for her students, and we are privileged to have her.”
Mitchell’s path to accounting was far from direct. She started her freshman year at the University of Georgia as a dance major and had every intention of becoming a professional ballerina. But, after an injury derailed her aspirations, she switched majors and went on to graduate Magna Cum Laude from UGA’s Terry College of Business. She’s earned post-graduate degrees from UVa and will earn an M.Ed. in instructional design technology from George Mason University in the spring.
