Awards
In 2011, the profession and CoARC lost a true friend. Bonner Smith, JD, was a public member of the CoARC for over 13 years and served on almost every committee during his tenure. In 2013, the CoARC established a new award named after Mr. Smith. The award recognizes one individual annually for demonstrating outstanding and enduring service to the profession of respiratory care through its educational accreditation system. The award is intended to honor individuals for exemplary contributions as members of the Commission or its predecessor Joint Review Committee for Respiratory Therapy Education.(JRCRTE).
The award was presented posthumously to Mr. Smith in 2013 at the CoARC Awards Ceremony during the AARC Summer Forum in Orlando, FL. Accepting the award, on behalf of Mr. Smith, was his wife, Shelly, and his daughter, Bonny.
Allen N. Gustin Jr, MD, FCCP, FASA CoARC Commissioner
Vice Chairman and Professor of Anesthesiology
Loyola University Medical Center
- 2020 – Brad Leidich, MSEd, RRT, FAARC
- 2019 – Thomas Hill, PhD, RRT, FAARC and Jana Anderson
- 2018 – Ian Gilmour, MD
- 2017– Kathy Rye, EdD, RRT, RRT-ACCS, RRT-NPS, FAARC
- 2016 – Shelley Mishoe, PhD, RRT, FAARC
- 2015 – Bill Goding
- 2014 – George Burton, MD
- 2013 – James Bonner Smith
The Commission on Accreditation for Respiratory Care (CoARC) recognizes up to two active Site Visitors annually, for dedicated service and outstanding contributions to the CoARC’s mission of ensuring the high quality of respiratory care education. Nominations are made by the CoARC Commissioners.
nominee must have participated in at least three (3) CoARC site visits within the past two (2) years by the nomination deadline. In addition, nominees must not have any negative evaluations within the same two-year period, and have provided a special contribution to the site visit process.
The award was named for Dr. Ralph Kendall, MD as a permanent expression of CoARC’s grateful recognition of his outstanding service as a site visitor and mentor. Dr. Kendall became a site visitor for CoARC in 1989 and has performed approximately 28 site visits over the past 6 years. Dr. Kendall also served as Chair of the CoARC Site Visit Subcommittee from 2003 to 2009. His expertise and assistance to program personnel and in training new site visitors is unparalleled and through the establishment of this award will not be forgotten.
Diane Oldfather, MHEd, RRT, FAARC
Adjunct Professor
Liberty University
Award to be presented at the 2021 AARC International Congress Awards Ceremony
- 2020 – Kathy Rye, EdD, RRT, RRT-ACCS, RRT-NPS, FAARC
- 2019 – Brad Leidich, MSEd, RRT, FAARC
- 2018 – Marby McKinney, MEd, RRT, RRT-NPS, AE-C and Jospeh Coyle, MD, FCCP
- 2017 – Thomas Harding, MS, RRT, RPFT
- 2016 – Thomas Baxter, EdD, RRT
- 2015 – Ian Gilmour, MD
- 2014 – Diane Flatland, MS-RRT, NPS
- 2013 – Monica Schibig, MA, RRT-NPS, CPFT
- 2012 – Phyllis W. Brunner, BS, RRT
- 2011 – Leann Papp, EdS, RN, RRT, RCP
- 2010 – Michael W. Prewitt, PhD, RRT
The President’s Award for Excellence and the Distinguished RRT Credentialing Success Award is presented as part of the CoARC’s continued efforts to value the RRT credential as a standard of professional achievement. From a program effectiveness perspective, the CoARC views the RRT credential as a measure of a program’s success in inspiring its graduates to achieve their highest educational and professional aspirations.
In selecting programs for this recognition, the CoARC Board used objective criteria based on key accreditation metrics documented in the 2020 Annual Report of Current Status RCS. The CoARC extends its sincere congratulations to you, your faculty, students, and graduates for meeting these rigorous criteria.
The President’s Award for Excellence in Credentialing Success – programs were required to: (1)have three or more years of outcomes data; (2) hold accreditation without a progress report;(3) document RRT credentialing success of 100%, and (4) meet or exceed established CoARC thresholds for TMC high cut score and retention.
The Distinguished RRT Credentialing Success Award – programs were required to: (1)have three or more years of outcomes data; (2) hold accreditation without a progress report; (3) document RRT credentialing success of 90% or above, and (4) meet or exceed established CoARC thresholds for TMC high cut score and retention.
Keep in mind that the conferral of this achievement award does not imply the CoARC’s recommendation, endorsement, or ranking of your program in relation to other CoARC accredited programs. Publications or announcements of this award shall not imply such recommendation, endorsement, or ranking. The primary responsibility of CoARC is to accredit programs based on their compliance with established accreditation standards.
Our recipients for this award will be announced at a later date.
Scholarships
The CoARC has established a scholarship to support up to $2,000 annually to a student of a CoARC-accredited program for educational or accreditation research with practical value to the respiratory care profession.
General Instructions
Submission of Application Forms
Use the attached form to apply for the CoARC George G. Burton, MD Student Educational Research Scholarship. Use English only and avoid jargon and unusual abbreviations. The application should be single spaced and include: graphs, diagrams, tables and charts where needed. Any oversized documents, graphs, diagrams, tables and charts should be put in an appendix.
Please sign and submit all documentation as one PDF. Email the completed packet to Bonnie Marrs:
All completed applications should be submitted by February 15th for consideration of the annual award. Any incomplete applications will be denied. The CoARC will utilize appropriate consultants to assure a complete review of the application. Applicants will be notified by April 15th of the decision regarding award of a scholarship. The scholarship and certificate are presented at the CoARC Awards Ceremony during the AARC Summer Forum. The CoARC will cover the travel expenses for the award recipient to attend the Awards Ceremony to receive the award.
The CoARC reserves the right to recall funds granted for a project, if they are being misused or if sufficient progress is not being made.
Progress Reports
Summary reports must be submitted within six (6) months of approval and upon completion of the project and must be properly identified with the title and name of the principal investigator. Publications related to the research must acknowledge the support of the CoARC; The award recipient must notify the CoARC Executive Office upon publication and include the link/reference where the publication can be found.
For more information on the application process, contact the CoARC Executive Office at 817-283-2835 ext. 102.
2021 RECIPIENT
Hua Zhong
Graduate Student at Rush University Medical Center
PROJECT TITLE: “Effects of Pulmonary Dead Space on Covid-19 pneumonia associated ARDS”
Application Information and Instructions
The CoARC has established a scholarship to support up to $2,000 annually to a faculty member of a CoARC-accredited program for educational or accreditation research with practical value to the respiratory care profession.
General Instructions
Submission of Application Forms
Use the attached form to apply for the CoARC Louis Sinopoli, PhD, RRT, FAARC Faculty Educational Research Scholarship. Use English only and avoid jargon and unusual abbreviations. The application should be single spaced and include: graphs, diagrams, tables and charts where needed. Any oversized documents, graphs, diagrams, tables and charts should be put in an appendix.
Please sign and submit all documentation as one PDF. Email the completed packet to Bonnie Marrs: bonnie@coarc.com
All completed applications should be submitted by February 15th for consideration of the annual award. Any incomplete applications will be denied. The CoARC will utilize appropriate consultants to assure a complete review of the application. Applicants will be notified by April 15th of the decision regarding award of a scholarship. The scholarship and certificate are presented at the CoARC Awards Ceremony during the AARC Summer Forum. The CoARC will cover the travel expenses for the award recipient to attend the Awards Ceremony to receive the award.
The CoARC reserves the right to recall funds granted for a project, if they are being misused or if sufficient progress is not being made.
Progress Reports
Summary reports must be submitted within six (6) months of approval and upon completion of the project and must be properly identified with the title and name of the principal investigator. Publications related to the research must acknowledge the support of the CoARC. The award recipient must notify the CoARC Executive Office upon publication and include the link/reference where the publication can be found.
For more information on the application process, contact the CoARC Executive Office at 817-283-2835 ext. 102.
2021 RECIPIENT
Tabatha Dragonberry, DHSc, MBA, RRT, RRT-NPS, RRT-ACCS, CPFT, AE-C, C-NPT
Assistant Professor / Director of Degree Advancement Programs at UT Health San Antonio
PROJECT TITLE: “Does spaced practice via mobile enhance the student experience?”
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