Oakton’s Nursing Professor Recognized for Excellence in Teaching

Oakton Community College is proud to recognize Mary Kakenmaster, professor of nursing, as the recipient of the college’s Ray Hartstein Award for Teaching Excellence for a full-time faculty member.

Named for the founding chair of the board of trustees, the accolade epitomizes “excellence in teaching and respect for students and peers.” Nominations are made by students and the award is presented after a review by the Oakton Educational Foundation Excellence in Teaching Committee. Besides a plaque, Kakenmaster received $1,500 sponsored by the Oakton Community College Educational Foundation. She was honored at the college’s Opening Day Breakfast Monday, Aug. 12.

Kakenmaster started full-time at the college in 2010 and remains enthusiastic about educating nurses, something she has been doing for over 40 years: “Teaching is my destiny and my personal mission is to help students achieve their dreams. This award means a great deal to me because it comes from the students and I love seeing them grow. I’m always willing to do whatever it takes for students to get to the highest level possible. That often includes working with them to find outside organizations besides Oakton to help with financial support for education beyond standard financial aid.”

Her dedication is one of the reasons why Oakton’s nursing students are so successful. Over the last five years, Oakton has averaged a first-time pass rate of approximately 92 percent on the NCLEX, the national professional licensure exam for nurses. Oakton is ranked No. 7 in the state of Illinois on RN Careers’ 2019 Best Ranked Nursing Programs list. RegisteredNursing.org ranks Oakton’s nursing program No. 10 in its 2019 Best RN Programs in Illinois.

“Mary believes that when students know the work they do is valued, they begin to value themselves more,” says President Joi Smith. “She fosters self-worth and confidence in her students.”

A resident of Libertyville, Kakenmaster attended Oakton, where she took her nursing prerequisites. After Oakton, she transferred to Northwestern University, where she earned her bachelor’s degree in nursing. Kakenmaster also received a master’s degree in nursing from Saint Xavier University.