UC Clermont Professor Receives National Recognition

Professor Dexter Hulse recently was honored with the Outstanding Faculty Award from Region 1 of the Community College and Technical Institute (CCTI) Division of the National Association of Industrial Technology (NAIT). The association presented the awards during its National Conference in St. Louis in November.

Hulse, who teaches computer-aided design (CAD) at UC Clermont, was chosen for the award based on his excellence in teaching and service to the profession. Recipients of the award must be nominated by a regional director and committee in each region. Hulse was nominated by Dean David Devier, who has served as president of CCTI’s Region 1 and currently serves on the NAIT Foundation Board. The association conducts professional seminars and workshops for teachers and industry leaders in addition to presenting awards to those in the field. It also focuses on the promotion and accreditation of industrial technology programs, as well as the certification and recognition of industrial technologists.

Hulse did not know he was receiving the award until a few days before the conference. “I got excited when I found out,” he said. “It was an honor to me because I haven’t been here very long, and it’s a prestigious organization.”

Before coming to UC Clermont four years ago, Hulse taught CAD courses at Shawnee State University in Portsmouth, Ohio, and the Career Center in Rio Grande, Ohio. Prior to teaching, Hulse spent 25 years working in manufacturing for industry giants such as Lockheed Martin and Alcon Surgical. His education consists of an associate’s degree in industrial engineering from Scioto Technical College (1973), a degree in CAD from Shawnee College (1992) and a master’s degree in education, focused in industrial technology curriculum, from the University of Cincinnati in 2004.

Hulse said he came to UC Clermont because the idea of building a program from the ground up intrigued him. During his brief time at UC Clermont, he has worked to secure $350,000 in donated equipment from local manufacturing companies for the college’s product development lab. He also is working to increase the number of two and four-year industrial technology degrees offered by the college, especially in engineering.

His favorite part of the job, though, is sharing his knowledge with students and helping them take projects “from concept to reality,” Hulse said. “I really enjoy seeing the light come on.”