ARLINGTON, Texas (Aug. 25, 2015) – A new wellness initiative was announced Tuesday as six Tarrant County College faculty members, one staff member and three teams were honored at the annual Chancellor’s Employee Appreciation Breakfast and Professional Development Day at the Arlington Convention Center.
TCC Chancellor Erma Johnson Hadley announced that TCC is among one of the first organizations in Fort Worth to participate in the Blue Zones Project, a community-wide well-being initiative championed by Fort Worth Mayor Betsy Price. The initiative is based on research about the habits of people who live in regions where they live longer. The project provides easier ways for citizens to make healthy choices through permanent changes to environment, policy and social networks.
Price has said the changes could result in seniors living more enjoyable lives. TCC employees were told now it’s TCC’s turn to play a role in improving the well-being of faculty, staff, students and the community. TCC is currently working to become a Blue Zones Project Approved™ Worksite. Changes are designed to provide a healthier work environment and, ultimately, a longer, better life for employees.
At the annual recognition event, faculty and staff were honored for their dedication and commitment to their students and to TCC’s institutional excellence. For the 2015 Chancellor’s Award for Exemplary Teacher, Hadley announced winners by campus: Northeast Campus Geography Professor Meena Balakrishnan, Northwest Campus Dance Professor Kim Jackson, South Philosophy
Professor Jeremy Byrd, Southeast Campus Speech Instructor Tonya Blivens and Trinity River Campus Computer Science Professor Tyson McMillan.
Receiving recognition for the Chancellor’s Employee Excellence Awards were Demesia Razo, Trinity River Campus student support coordinator, for Access and Diversity; The Title IX Team for Forward Thinking; Northwest Campus Center for Excellence for Innovation and Creativity and Northwest Campus Computer Science Day Team for Service to Community; and Orlando Bagcal, South Campus associate professor and construction management coordinator, for Student Success.
Other nominees for Exemplary Teaching by campus include Northeast: English Professor Angela Pettit and Child Development Professor Stephanie Scroggins, Northwest: Geology Instructor Josh Fairbanks and Computer Science Instructor Steve Smiley, South: Health Physical Education Instructor Timothy Johnson and English Instructor Nicole Vallee, Southeast: Assistant Math Professor Carol White and Computer Science Instructor Gracie Williams; and Trinity River: History Instructor Lisa Blank and Assistant Nursing Professor Debbie Price.
Additional nominees for Excellence were Associate Chemistry Professor Kenneth Drake and the Love Conference Team for Access and Diversity; Northwest Community & Industry Education Instructor/Counselor George Hawkins and the Job Fair Team for Forward Thinking, Brain Awareness Team and Northeast Associate Drama Professor Stephen Thomas and Instructor Associate Laura Mahon for Innovation and Creativity, Aviation Instructor and Department Chair Darrell Irby and South Campus Vision Committee for Service to Community and Student Success Committee and South Campus Associate Art Professor Paul Benero for Student Success.
