The Morning Journal (Lorain, OH)
College recalls late professor fondly
Lorain County Community College staff, students and alumni are mourning over the death Aug. 24 of faculty member Aimee Dickinson who passed away from complications with pneumonia.
Dickinson, who was 50, was part of the LCCC community for 32 years, beginning as a student in 1988.
Her uncle Gerald Dickinson said his niece always knew her path.
“When she told me she wanted to study sociology at LCCC, I told her she’d have to get an advanced degree, and maybe even a PhD to be able to find a job,” Gerald Dickinson said. “She looked at me and said, ‘Oh no, that’s what I’m planning on doing. I want to be a professor of sociology.’”
LCCC President Marcia J. Ballinger said Aimee Dickinson was admired by her students and colleagues and was a dedicated professor.
“Never losing sight of that goal, Aimee was hired as an adjunct faculty member in 2001,” Ballinger said. “Consistently admired by her students and colleagues for her innovative teaching methods and compassionate approaches to education, Aimee was a clear choice when a full time, tenure-track sociology instructor position became available in 2005.”
Ballinger went on to share the impacts Aimee Dickinson made at LCCC.
“Her genuine kindness, passion for her students and her career, and commitment to social justice and equality, have had a significant impact on our campus during the past three decades,” she said. “This is truly a heartbreaking loss for our campus.
“Aimee’s leadership excelled as she co-led the Center for Teaching Excellence for many years. Throughout her years at LCCC, Aimee mentored dozens of students through service-learning projects further instilling her passion for volunteerism in others. Her willingness to go above and beyond on campus and in her classroom led her to win the Faculty Excellence Award in 2008.”
Gerald Dickinson said
his niece was the type of person to set a goal and achieve it.
“She knew exactly what she wanted to do from the very get-go and she did it,” he said. “She was a very bright woman, and her drive was undeniable.”
Both Ballinger and Gerald Dickinson knew Aimee Dickinson as a human rights activist, focusing on gender rights and racial equality.
“She and I would talk about those things because we were similar and had similar opinions,” Gerald Dickinson said.
During her time at LCCC, Aimee Dickinson served a pivotal role on the Equity for Students Team and the Sexual Orientation and Gender Equality (SOGE) committee and led the charge to adopt a preferred name policy for students, faculty and staff, Ballinger said.
“Words cannot express the loss of this creative, intelligent and caring person,” Ballinger said. “She was a vibrant member of our LCCC family, quite literally lighting up every room she entered.
“Aimee was completely dedicated to the College, donating her time to volunteer with many levy campaigns and other initiatives over the years.”
The LCCC Foundation will establish a scholarship fund in Aimee Dickinson’s name to ensure her dedication for student equity lives on.
Contributions can be made through the LCCC Foundation at www. lorainccc.edu/foundation.