Oakton Business Lecturer Receives Outstanding Alumni Award from NEIU

(Oct. 1, 2018) Leslie Dubin, instructor of marketing, management and entrepreneurship at Oakton Community College, was awarded the Northeastern Illinois University GOLD (Graduate Of the Last Decade) Alumni Award on Sept. 15.

Recipients are selected by the NEIU president and the NEIU Alumni Association, recognizing the high level of excellence of NEIU alumni in their work, service or leadership activities.

Dubin was recognized with this award for her outstanding work in the classroom. The GOLD Alumni award acknowledges an alumnus or alumna who has graduated within the last 10 years and has excelled in his or her chosen profession.

A resident of Highland Park, Dubin joined Oakton in 2009 after receiving her master’s degree in business administration from NEIU. She also was the recipient of the 2014 Ray Hartstein Award for Outstanding Professional Excellence in Teaching at Oakton. Despite major health issues that surfaced in 2016, Dubin continues to teach and develop course material for Oakton.

“Education is my life’s work,” Dubin says. “I love being in the classroom and teaching. Whether it’s face-to-face or online, I’m passionate about my responsibilities as an educator. I enjoy enriching the lives of my students. My teaching success comes from my understanding of the challenges facing college students.”

With more than 20 years of professional experience, including serving as a vice president and operations manager overseeing a staff of more than 200 employees, Dubin brings a wealth of knowledge to the classroom. Her previous experience also includes teaching mathematics in the Chicago Public Schools system. She later became an acting partner in a national textile firm.

“My teaching philosophy also includes the message that students should be viewed as adult, independent learners,” she says. “Also I believe that we all need to strive for lifelong learning. I encourage my students to achieve success in whatever field they choose.”