Moorpark College faculty and staff members gathered together to honor an outstanding professor who goes above and beyond for students.

On Tuesday, Aug. 16, the Performing Arts Center was packed with faculty members ready to honor and applaud a teacher who has encouraged students to go outside their limits in order to become their best selves; a teacher whose character is one worth recognition. This year’s recipient of the Distinguished Faculty Chair Award was Health Science Professor and Counselor Danita Redd.

“I was pleasantly surprised, ” said Redd. “I did not expect to be selected.”

Having constructed quite an impressive resume from her work around the world to her work here with Moorpark College students, it is no wonder Redd was this year’s recipient and the 17th teacher awarded in Moorpark College’s history.

Every year before classes begin, as per tradition, after the award has been presented, faculty and staff gather to listen to the recipient’s lecture.

For her lecture, Redd chose Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) as her topic of discussion. According to Redd, her goal was to help people better understand the role of PTSD in real world problems.

“I always think about how miserable the world is,” said Redd. “And how simple our lives would be if we had just a little bit more empathy for each other and for ourselves.”

PTSD being such a heavy topic, there is a lot to say all within a 30 minute time limit, according to Redd.

“I had done hours of reading and other types of prep and research over a five month period,” said Redd. “I wanted to make it interesting and I certainly didn’t want people to feel overwhelmed or bored.”

The end goal was to inform people and allow them to realize that there is hope and will always be a way to help people and students.

“By the end of it, I think I reached my goal,” said Redd.