Gadsden State Community College is proud to announce its recipients of the annual National Institute of Staff and Organizational Development (NISOD) Excellence Awards. The 2015 honorees are Shirley Colvin, assistant dean of instruction/science division chair; Tim Hardy, air conditioning & refrigeration technology instructor; Dr. Sara Wheeler, mathematics instructor, and Jennifer Williams, transcript evaluator. Interim President Martha Lavender said, “Each of these individuals has exhibited excellent performance in their assigned duties and has provided outstanding service to students, our college and the communities we serve.”
Colvin, a resident of Jacksonville, has served in several administrative roles since coming to Gadsden State in 1996 and has written several grants to improve teaching and learning at the college. She is the co-author of several laboratory manuals in biology and microbiology; and serves the community as a member of the Board of Directors of the Central Carver Museum of Gadsden.
Hardy, a resident of Hokes Bluff, has been a member of the faculty since 2001. He has received several faculty awards while at Gadsden State and holds certifications in both HVAC and electrical technology. Hardy currently serves as president of the Alabama Council of Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Educators.
Wheeler, a resident of Alexandria, has been a math instructor at Gadsden State since 2009. She holds a doctorate in Higher Education Administration and has a published work entitled Developmental Mathematics and Student Characteristics that Contribute to Academic Success at a Two-year Institution in Alabama.
Williams, a resident of Gadsden, joined the college staff in 2010 and has been a Student Team leader in the college’s transition from a mainframe system to the Banner Student Information System. She authored the procedures manual used in Records and Admissions and created Quick Reference Guides for both staff and student use.
Excellence Award recipients will be celebrated and receive a specially cast pewter medallion during NISOD’s Annual International Conference on Teaching and Leadership Excellence, May 23-26, in Austin, Texas. The recipient’s name, title, and college will be included in a special conference booklet and will also appear in a multi-page display in a special edition of Community College Week.
NISOD’s Excellence Awards recognize men and women each year who have demonstrated an outstanding commitment and contribution to their students and colleagues. The conference and ceremony have become the largest and most inspiring gathering that recognizes the contributions and achievements of community and technical college faculty, administrators, and staff.
For more information about NISOD, visit www.nisod.org.