Levittown Resident Joy Vliet Honored at Drexel Commencement

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(Left to Right) Drexel President John Fry, Drexel Student Emily Pugh, Award Recipient Joy Vliet, and Dean of Drexel’s College of Nursing and Health Professions Gloria Donnelly.

PHILADELPHIA, PA (07/08/2011)(readMedia)-- English teacher at Council Rock North High School in Newtown Joy Vliet received one of five 2011 Harold W. Pote Behind Every Graduate Awards at Drexel University's 124th commencement. The initiative calls for graduating seniors to nominate teachers that inspired them to pursue their college studies. More than 5,000 students received degrees from Drexel this year.

Students were asked to submit an essay describing how their teacher encouraged them to pursue a college education, and how the teacher served as a role model. Vliet was nominated by Emily Pugh, a nursing major in Drexel's College of Nursing & Health Professions for fostering a love of reading and writing in her classroom. Vliet was honored during the ceremony for Drexel's College of Nursing & Health Professions.

In here nominating letter Pugh said, "She served as my mentor, encouraging me to always love the written word, appreciate the value of education and to believe in myself and my abilities."

Behind Every Graduate honorees received a $2,000 prize and a $2,000 donation made to the winning teachers' schools. In 2006, Drexel University initiated the "Behind Every Graduate" Award for excellence in secondary teaching. Since then, Drexel has honored 21 of these teachers and the students who nominated them.