NISOD honors Macomb faculty members Abbey Jacobsen and Shaun Sarcona
Friday, July 24, 2026 12:00 AM
Highlights of this blog
- Abbey Jacobsen and Shaun Sarcona were among six Macomb faculty members recognized with NISOD awards for teaching excellence.
- Both encourage students to explore new interests, embrace challenge and stay committed to their goals.
Six Macomb faculty members recently received the National Institute for Staff and Organizational Development (NISOD) awards. NISOD celebrates individuals who demonstrate exceptional commitment to their students and colleagues, enhancing the overall educational experience.
The honorees are Delena Austin, Monique Beauchamp-Doll, Elizabeth Bosilkovski, Erin Fortuna, Abbey Jacobsen and Shaun Sarcona.
In this three-part series, two of the six honorees, Jacobsen and Sarcona, discuss what their time at Macomb means to them, how they feel about taking home the NISOD, and more.
In this three-part series, two of the six honorees, Jacobsen and Sarcona, discuss what their time at Macomb means to them, how they feel about taking home the NISOD, and more.
Abbey Jacobsen
Music and Humanities faculty member Abbey Jacobsen finds it rewarding when a student sees something familiar in a completely new way.
“So many of my favorite moments from teaching come from my students and those ‘ah ha’ moments they have,” she said. “Seeing that intellectual and creative growth as I listen to my students talk about their favorite song or film on a deeper level is incredibly rewarding.”
Whether students are discussing a favorite song, film or work of art, Jacobsen takes pride in helping them uncover cultural meaning and connections. Those moments have helped define her 14-year career at Macomb and earn recognition such as the NISOD award.
“I think it means my efforts to inspire students to learn, grow and expand their perspectives is working and at the very least, recognized by my amazing peers,” she said.
“I think it means my efforts to inspire students to learn, grow and expand their perspectives is working and at the very least, recognized by my amazing peers,” she said.
Jacobsen joined Macomb in January 2012 after spending about five years teaching K-12 orchestra. While she enjoyed working with younger students, she said she felt drawn to higher education and the opportunity to engage students at a different academic level.
Her role at Macomb allows her to teach both music and humanities. In addition to her work at Macomb, Jacobsen teaches courses at other universities while also working as a freelance instructional designer and assessment specialist.
She has a bachelor’s degree in Instrumental Music Education, a master’s degree in Historical Musicology and a post-graduate certification in Instructional Design, along with numerous certifications in distance-learning course design and development.
“I strive to create a positive and inclusive learning environment,” she said. “I am incredibly passionate about the topics I teach, and I try to bring that excitement into every classroom no matter the learning platform, online or in person.”
Outside the classroom, Jacobsen enjoys collecting vinyl records, caring for plants, reading health magazines and traveling. She especially loves hiking in Colorado and spending time with her two children.
Learn more about Humanities and Music programs by visiting the Humanities program webpage and the Music Performance webpage.
Learn more about Humanities and Music programs by visiting the Humanities program webpage and the Music Performance webpage.
Shaun Sarcona
Every career starts somewhere, but for Shaun Sarcona, teaching began with simply helping the person next to him.
A faculty member in Macomb’s Media and Communication Arts (MACA) program, Sarcona has worked at the college for 24 years, following earlier roles as a lab technician and tutor. It was in those roles that he discovered his passion for teaching.
“I never had any ideas about teaching. I found I gravitated toward helping people (and) teaching seemed to be a logical step in helping,” he said.
A self-described “non-directional student” throughout his K-12 years, Sarcona dabbled in math, science and technology programs in school before exploring math and computer programming. It was through that journey that he discovered media arts and realized he wanted to pursue a creative career.
“Anything can be learned and any field can be tackled,” he said. “(Students) may not know what they can do until they’ve tried it. Once they find something, they need to treat it like a job. Dedicate time and keep moving.”
Students in Sarcona’s class quickly learn that motivation and humor often go hand in hand. He regularly uses examples from industry professionals and his own experiences to help students envision their future success.
One favorite quote he uses comes from the Harry Potter series: “Every great wizard has started out as nothing more than what we are now, students. If they can do it, why not us?”
Sarcona’s primary focus is teaching 3D design for entertainment and advertising, though his teaching experience spans a wide range of subjects, including animation, web design, Photoshop, page layout, illustration and more.
Receiving recognition for his work is especially meaningful, he said.
“As a teacher, you’re very isolated to your classrooms and not always sure if people see the effort you put into your work,” he said. “I appreciate the award, but I know that I stand in the shadow of so many others.”
Outside the classroom, Sarcona describes himself as a hobbyist with a wide range of interests, including visiting museums, attending live music and theater performances, cooking, watching movies and playing card games.
Learn more about MACA on the program webpage.