Chancellor’s Awards for Exemplary Teaching, Starpoint Employee Excellence Awards

Posted on by Samantha Windschitl
FORT WORTH, Texas (Aug. 23, 2011)

Chancellor’s Awards for Exemplary Teaching–Nominees and Winners

The highest award a TCC faculty member can receive, the award for exemplary teaching was established by Chancellor Joe B. Rushing in 1986 to honor those who personify excellence, dedication, and TCC’s spirit of service in the classroom.  Faculty were nominated by their colleagues, and the awardees–one from each campus–are selected by a faculty committee.  Each received a plaque and a check for $2,500.

Northeast Campus

  • John Hiser, Assistant Professor of Health Sciences
  • Sally Proffitt, Instructor of Business
  • Linda Quinn, Professor of Dance–Winner

Northwest Campus

  • Mike Nichols, Professor of History
  • Mark Rhoades, Instructor of Biology
  • Lacreacia Sanders, Associate Professor of Dance–Winner

South Campus

  • Brenda Cobb, Associate Professor of Nursing
  • Altheria Gaston, Instructor of Education–Winner
  • David Gustafson, Assistant Professor of Mathematics

Southeast Campus

  • Kirk Adams, Assistant Professor of English
  • Karen Haun, Assistant Professor of Accounting
  • Sharon Wettengel, Associate Professor of Sociology–Winner

Trinity River Campus

  • Hector Menchaca, Professor of Psychology
  • Allison Randolph, Instructor of Sign Language and Interpretation–Winner
  • Jim Schrantz, Professor of English

Starpoint Employee Excellence Awards

An added element of employee recognition, the Chancellor’s and CELT StarPoint Excellence Awards were presented for the first time this year. The awards recognize employees–individuals or groups–who make a significant contribution to the institutional values of Tarrant County College District.

Awards are given in the following four areas based on established criteria that echo the TCC statement of values:

  • Access and Diversity
  • Innovation and Creativity
  • Student Success
  • Service to Community

In just this first year, the selection committee received several very worthy nominations.

2011 CELT Winners

CELT winners are presented with certificates and $500 cash awards for each group or individual nomination.

CELT Member Award Winner(s) About the Winner(s)
Judith Carrier Carrie Tunson,vice president of continuing education services She started the First Choice program in 1997, not long after the opening of the campus, and has continued to serve the underserved ever since. She has demonstrated an unwavering commitment and has equipped countless individuals with the confidence and abilities to succeed.
Larry Darlage Student Development Associate Karen Raulerson and Student Activities Staff They have hosted more than 100 student programs during the past year, many of which were recognized as some of the best offered by TCC. Amid their many activities, they never cease to serve students and guests, providing care and attention to every detail in all they do.
Tahita Fulkerson Trinity River Campus CARE Team They provide assistance to students and members of the campus community who are in distress through confidential consultation, consistent communication, and referrals, thus directly impacting student. They have become a model for other institutions and continue to develop best practices for crisis prevention.
Joy Gates Black (South Campus) Judith Gallagher, dean of humanities She was the first on South Campus to collaborate with faculty members from multiple disciplines and with student development services to offer learning communities. Through her work, she has exhibited a commitment to access and diversity, exceptional creativity, and passion for supporting student success.
Elva LeBlanc Director of Student Development Services Vesta Martinez and Zachary Frohlich, instructor in speech Together, they launched the Northwest Campus Academic Recovery Mentor Program, addressing the need for increased retention and student success. Our winners have already identified 55 student mentees and 35 faculty mentors in the program’s first semester.
Bill Lace Lavern James, police sergeant He implemented the Districtwide Pre-Academy Program, aimed to prevent or lessen the failure rate of police cadets. Since the launch of the program, all cadets have passed the academic test with high marks. Through the implementation, he has demonstrated close attention to detail, coordinated the scheduling and taught classes—all while performing his normal duties.
Mark McClendon Purchasing department Beginning in July 2010, they began an exhaustive effort to document and communicate new processes concerning the District’s purchasing process. Even with high demands and expectations, they have managed to stay true to their mission and have maintained a keen focus on customer service, sourcing alternatives, MWBE inclusion and cost reduction.
Nina Petty Patricia Carter, Northeast Campus custodial supervisor She was the first female custodial supervisor in the District, having starting at the entry level in 1990 and working her way up. She now serves as the liaison for outsourced custodial services on all campuses. She is a leader among her peers and is always ready to go above and beyond.
Joy Gates Black and Maria Shelton Jerry Racioppi, registrar; Bill McMullen, director of financial aid; and Jimmy Byars, assistant director of information services on Trinity River Campus These winners led efforts to implement an Imaging System that supports Student Financial Aid Services. This innovative approach enables staff to more efficiently process applications for more than 20,000 students, decreasing processing times and costs and significantly improving student service.
Maria Shelton and Reginald Gates Web Content Editor Susan Ragland and Online Support Technician Robert Heyser This team worked several months to develop and implement a new version of the TCC Buzz Blog, which helps to connect TCC faculty and staff with each other and the community. The combination of their technical, design and communication skills demonstrates innovation and contributes to the overall success of the TCC community.
David Wells Kelly Greene, instructor/counselor, TCC Opportunity Center She has set a benchmark of excellence through administration of the Skills Development Fund Manufacturing Consortium Grant and the Texas Workforce Commission Apprenticeship Program. Together, the two programs have created or upgraded more than 500 jobs and more than 400 apprenticeships in Tarrant County.

2011 District Chancellor’s Excellence Award Winners

Each received a plaque and a check for $2,500.

Award Category Award Winner(s) About the Winner(s)
Access and Diversity Allison Randolph and Shelly Hardell, instructors in Sign Language Interpreting, Trinity River Campus As a part of the Sign Language Interpreting Program, our winners have been actively involved in several service learning projects to the Deaf and Hard of Hearing Community since moving to Trinity River Campus in the fall of 2009. Such projects include Imagination Celebration, a Deaf, Deaf World and Deaf Day at Six Flags. Projects performed by the students have increased visibility of the program and since Fall 2009, students have participated in nearly 2,000 hours of service learning thanks to their leadership.
Innovation and Creativity Jacqueline Maki Since becoming director of the Office of Grant Development four years ago, she has developed a process for all stakeholders to follow when seeking public and/or private external funding. Through her leadership in the development of project SSSTRONG, Title III and Achieving the Dream proposals, she has helped support the innovation of our leaders, has helped to improve student success, and has helped Tarrant County College become a better value for our community. Her impact can be seen through the growth and output of the Office of Grant Development, and the new funding she has brought in. Due largely to her work and innovative thinking, more than 12 million dollars in public grants, both federal and state, has been awarded to TCC.
Student Success Stan Paschal Mr. Paschal supports the Northeast music department by advising, counseling, motivating, and coaching students. Since last summer, he has advised 325 new music students, continues to recruit students for classes, and assists students in recognizing goals and fears before courses begin. He has implemented four major documents increasing exposure and success this past semester. He does all of this along with weekly recital programs that increase exposure of the music program. His efforts clearly exceed his job duties, and lead to student success in new, innovative ways.
Service to Community Officer Rose Brant She has taken great initiative in expanding TCC’s Victim Assistance Services, significantly increasing awareness of victims’ rights and services. Within the TCC family, she has worked diligently to educate our campus communities, train police personnel, and coordinate a united effort with local criminal justice and civil agencies. Her reach also extends to the greater community. Additionally, she has established a scholarship within the TCC Foundation and has played a vital role in securing a grant through the Office of Violence Against Women. In all she does, she places the safety and security of our students, faculty and staff above all, providing a true model of service to the community.

Media Contact: 817-515-5212