Recognized as a 2025 GIFT (Great Ideas For Teaching) Fellowship winner, she held an adjunct nursing faculty position at the College for only two years
Catherine “Cathy” Kefer was named Yavapai Community College’s Teacher of the Year at this year’s nursing pinning ceremony. She was recognized as a 2025 GIFT (Great Ideas For Teaching) Fellowship winner. A Gift Fellowship winner is Yavapai’s equivalent of teacher of the year award.
A nurse with 46 years of experience, Ms. Kefer came out of semi-retirement two years ago while temporarily filling in for physicians at a Prescott oncology clinic. During that time, she applied for and was appointed as an adjunct nursing faculty member at Yavapai Community College.
Despite her relatively short tenure, Ms. Kefer no doubt made a clear and lasting impact on the strength and spirit of Yavapai’s nursing program. The “tough love” approach she brought to her teaching will be missed. Reflecting on the GIFT award, she remarked, “They really did get it. They really did kind of appreciate the tough love mentality they always complained about. It makes me happy that they appreciated it.”
The Community College press release dated June 5, 2025, described the intensity of Kefer’s return to teaching two years ago: long days in the classroom, crisscrossing Northern Arizona to support students at clinical locations, and late-night and weekend correspondence with anxious students. “I’m not one to ignore it—a text or a phone call from a student. I can’t do that,” Kefer said. “So you’re working seven days a week.” The commitment left her with limited time with family and her favorite pastimes, such as cooking and gardening.”
“I’m ready for more free time with my husband, my kids, and grandkids. It’s time to step back a little bit,” she added. “I’d like to sleep in until maybe 6 a.m.”
You may read more about Ms. Kefer in the Community College press release at https://www.yc.edu/v6/news/2025/06/kefer.html.