NCSRC Names Rusty Sugg 2009 Educator of the Year

WINTERVILLE—Pitt Community College instructor Rusty Sugg was honored by his peers recently for dedication to student success in the respiratory care field.

Sugg, 42, is director of clinical education for PCC’s Respiratory Therapy program. Earlier this month, he attended the N.C. Society for Respiratory Care’s (NCSRC) annual conference in Winston-Salem and was presented with the 2009 Educator of the Year Award.

“I was very honored and privileged to be recognized with this prestigious award,” Sugg said. “I am very passionate about the education and success of future respiratory therapists.”

A lifelong resident of the Snow Hill area, Sugg graduated from PCC’s Respiratory Care Technology program in 1994. He began working at his alma mater in 2001 and currently teaches several respiratory therapy courses while also overseeing the program’s clinical classes.

Sugg, who has earned bachelor’s degrees in Business Management and Human Resource Management from Mount Olive College, is a member of the Lambda Beta Society, a national honors organization for the respiratory care profession. He has also been nominated for Who’s Who Among American Teachers recognition.

In 2008, Sugg was part of a team that took first place in NCSRC’s annual quiz bowl competition for practitioners. By winning the event, he and his teammates earned a spot in the national competition in which they won several games but fell just short of the semifinals.

NCSRC is a non-profit organization that supports and benefits respiratory care practitioners in North Carolina. The group is a chartered affiliate of the American Association for Respiratory Care.

09/24/2009