Lillie Hill, clinical coordinator/instructor of Practical Nursing in the Health Technologies department, is the 2011 Excellence in Teaching Award recipient at Durham Tech. Lillie was chosen based on her outstanding commitment to her students, her unwavering dedication to the Durham Tech and Durham communities, and her creative teaching methods.

Lillie has worked diligently in her 14 years at the college to train and mentor students for careers in the field of practical nursing. She makes it her goal to help them understand that the LPN program at Durham Tech "is just the beginning of a lifelong journey of learning and personal growth."

In addition to her creative classroom teaching strategies, Lillie contributes to student learning and the college's service learning initiative by coordinating free prostate screening and breast health workshops at the Lincoln Community Health Center each year. Her students take blood pressures, perform blood glucose monitoring, distribute health information, and conduct basic workshops. She has led students in community health projects to benefit the Ronald McDonald House and Neal Middle School in Durham.

Students, colleagues, and community members have written fond letters to Lillie expressing their respect and appreciation for her dedication to student learning and to public health.