GREENVILLE, Pa.—Struthers High School teacher Brigid Edwards was announced as the winner of Thiel College’s 2023 Jim Cunnigham ’77 Media Mentor of the Year Award during a special awards presentation and luncheon Friday, April 14 in the Sawhill Georgian Room of the Howard Miller Student Center.
Edwards is an Intervention Specialist for Struthers City Schools. She works in the high school math department and co-teaches algebra and geometry. She also teaches all resource room math classes. She is in her 17th year of teaching and her third year working with students on the yearbook. Edwards advises a staff of eight students who are all first-year staff members. According to Edwards, “Every day is a new opportunity for creativity and learning something new!” She is married with three children, one granddaughter, and two big dogs. She received a trophy, a $250 Amazon gift card, and a $500 Amazon gift card to spend on her class or a school-related activity. Edwards was nominated by her former student Taylor Susany ’25, an early childhood education/special education major and 2021 graduate of Struthers High School. They both said the pandemic was a big part of their experience and talked about how the students and Edwards who was in her first year as yearbook advisor learned how to create a yearbook during a pandemic together. Edward cited that the skills necessary to create a yearbook—interviewing, photography, writing, and design—are important communication and professional skills for students of any major.
Also recognized during the awards presentation was Greg Vorse ’06, who was the winner of Thiel’s 2023 James Pedas ’50 H’89 Communications Professional of the Year Award. Vorse is a contracted content creator, podcaster, and writer for Cover 1 Sports Network, an independent media company that is dedicated to news surrounding the Buffalo Bills of the NFL, and he also works as a freelance broadcaster for LTN Global and ESPN. Throughout his professional career in the telecommunications industry, Vorse has covered several pro championships, including the Stanley Cup Finals, the NBA Finals, and the 2007 World Series. He graduated from Thiel in 2006 with a communications degree in broadcast journalism.
The Media Mentor of the Year Award is an expansion of Thiel’s Mentor of the Year Initiative, which was launched in 2019 to acknowledge outstanding local and regional educators and professionals. Another awards presentation will be held on April 21 to announce both the Science Educator and Women in STEM Mentors of the Year.
About Thiel College
Thiel College is an independent college founded in the Lutheran tradition. Located in Greenville, Pa., the College offers 60 majors and minors, 24 varsity sports, and an 11:1 student-faculty ratio. The College is also home to a new Master of Science in speech-language pathology and 2Master of Business Administration. Both master’s degree programs offer innovative and accelerated five-year paths which allow students to earn a bachelor’s and master’s degree in five years. The speech-language pathology program also has an accelerated 15-month graduate-level program. The M.B.A. program also has a 12-month post-graduate program.A dedicated faculty paired with dynamic research and internship opportunities produce numerous graduate school and job placements. Coeducational from its beginnings, the College remains committed to combining tradition with innovation as it celebrates 150 years.