Faculty Focus

J.C. Malitzke
Department Chair, Computer-Integrated Technologies
Professor, Mechanical Design Drafting/CAD
B.S.Ed., M.S., Illinois State University

J.C. Malitzke has been at Moraine Valley since 1985, and he still gets a thrill when one of his students understands a new concept and “the light bulb turns on.” J.C. teaches all of the Mechanical Design and Drafting and 3D CAD courses. To ensure his students master the skills these challenging classes require, he utilizes numerous different techniques. “I constantly vary my instruction to meet the needs of all my students. I lecture, work with students individually, and assign group projects to encourage collaboration,” J.C. says. “This program has a great deal of generational diversity— I might have up to four generations in one class—so I have to try different strategies to reach everyone.” J.C. believes his students need lots of actual hands-on practice, so the department created Internet tutorials that students can access from home 24/7.

J.C.’s excellence in teaching has influenced thousands of students through the years, and he was recently named Professor of the Year. He is proud he has helped so many graduates achieve their goals. “It’s great when a student comes back and tells us the impact that Moraine Valley has had on them personally and professionally,” he says.

Mary O’Malley-Absalon
Instructor, Medical Assistant Program
B.S.N., M.B.A., Loyola University Chicago

“Moraine Valley has a tremendous amount of resources available for our students,” says Mary O’Malley-Absalon. “We give them as much hands-on practice performing the skills they’ll use in the field as possible.” For example, to learn how to properly take blood pressure readings, students can access an animated Internet site and later practice what they’ve learned on a simulated human arm. “We change the diastolic and the systolic readings so they get practice taking readings from different ‘patients.’”

Mary believes Moraine Valley’s Medical Assistant Program is superior because we have such a dedicated, qualified faculty. “When we were going through our accreditation process, the surveyors commented on the high caliber of our instructors.” Our program is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs, which means our graduates are eligible to sit for the national certification exam. “Being certified makes our graduates highly marketable,” Mary says. Medical Assistant students also participate in a 160-hour externship at sites such as Advocate Health Centers, Southwest Medical Affiliates, and the Will County Community Health Center. “One of the most satisfying aspects of my job is when my students go into one of our affiliated sites and begin applying what they’ve learned. Many of them get hired by their externship site. It’s a positive experience for the student and the facility alike,” she says.