Earning A’s: Faculty and staff activities, accomplishments, and accolades

This regular feature recognizes activities and honors of ACC faculty and staff. To submit news or suggestions, see the contact information below.

Riverbats Employee of the Year

Student Life Coordinator Mauri Winters is Riverbats Employee of the Year. Winters has worked at several campuses during her five years at ACC, contributing to programs that strengthen connections among faculty, staff, and students. Among them: Pick-a-Prof, Soup for the Soul, and campus Green Teams.

Winters also coordinates requests for Student Life presentations at college events and facilitates Success Series workshops on leadership, conflict resolution, goal-setting, healthy relationships, grit, and more. She is an ACC Leadership Academy graduate.

Celebrating local authors

Adult Education Instructor Dennis McCown and History Adjunct Professor Kemp Dixon were among the 12 writers featured at Evening with the Authors benefiting Lockhart’s historic library. ACC’s Culinary Arts Department catered the October 1 gala, where Dixon signed copies of his biography about his father, “Chasing Thugs, Nazis, and Reds: Texas Ranger Norman K. Dixon.” McCown’s featured books were “The Goddess of War: A True Story of Passion, Betrayal, and Murder in the Old West,” “Slippery Jack: 10,000 Authentic Names, Nicknames, and Aliases from the Old West,” and “Savage Winter: A Story of Wilderness and Survival.”

In print

Dean of Library Services Dr. Julie Todaro co-authored an opinion column for the Los Angeles Daily News. The column addressed proposed staffing cuts for Los Angeles middle school librarians. Todaro, who is president of the American Library Association, noted the importance of school librarians in helping state and local education agencies develop literacy, technology, enrichment, and community outreach plans. Read Shelving LAUSD’s school librarians would widen the learning gap.

John Herndon has published his first novel “One Too Many,  a crime novel, love story, and psychological case study set in Austin with references to the city’s music scene. Herndon, adjunct professor of creative writing and English, has published five books of poetry and written the screenplay “Frame Switch,” released earlier this year.

Walk for Autism awareness

Graphic Design Specialist Kim Vo Langridge served on the organizing committee for the Oct. 9 Autism Speaks Austin Walk to raise funds and awareness for autism. The Autism Speaks Walk is the largest fundraising event on behalf of the autism community, with annual events in almost 100 cities. A team of ACC employees participated in the one-mile walk.

Equity champions

In association with the upcoming Spirit Day October 19, the LGBT eQuity Committee has recognized the following faculty and staff with “Star” awards for going above and beyond to support the committee’s mission and goals:

Matthew Campbell, administrative assistant in the Round Rock Campus Manager’s office and president-elect of the Classified Employee Association, helped craft the committee’s mission statement, facilitated two ACC ALLY 101 training sessions, and helped plan the college’s participation in the Austin Pride Parade.

Dr. Virginia Fraire, vice president of student services, provides administrative leadership and works with various college constituencies and on behalf of the committee and its goals. She joined the 300 ACC students, faculty, and staff participating in the Pride Parade.

Dr. Lara Niles, manager, IT applications support, worked to adapt some of the college’s information databases so that students’ personal information could more adequately reflect their gender identity.

Alejandra Polcik, coordinator, Hispanic Outreach Projects, helped develop, distribute, and report on the Campus Climate Survey for LGBTQ students and has guided the committee with leadership, support, and advocacy.

Stefanie Vermillion, Student Life communications supervisor, created committee outreach materials, including its Facebook page, website, and printed publicity materials.

 

Promoting ACC

Dr. David Fonken, dean of math and science, discussed the need for engineers in Texas and the recently announced Texas A&M-Chevron Engineering Academy at ACC on KXAN-TV. Fonken noted the benefits of starting an engineering degree at ACC, including affordability and options for students who need additional math.  View the interview.

Dr. Molly Beth Malcolm, vice president of community engagement and public affairs, discussed the importance of voting and ACC’s commitment to civic participation among its students on KXAN-TV. View the interview: ACC making it easier for Austinites to register to vote.

Vice President of Instruction Mike Midgely discussed ACC’s support for displaced ITT students on Spectrum News. View Austin Community College Helping Former ITT Tech Students. He also was interviewed by KVUE-TV. See ITT Tech students mull over other schooling options.

In August KVUE-TV aired an interview with Dr. Gaye Lynn Scott, dean of social & behavioral science, on the topic of affording college. (Video unavailable.)

Sharing expertise

Andy Kim, director of energy and sustainability, partnered with Luther College to present “Non-Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) Options to Financing Solar Deployment at Universities” as part of a National Renewable Energy Laboratory webinar series.

An article, “The Many Faces of Rabies” by Adjunct Professor of Biology Dr. Rodney Rohde and former ACC Professor Pam Wilson, was posted by the research publisher and database Elsevier in connection with World Rabies Day in September.

Achievements directory now online

More than 200 faculty and staff are included in the 2015-16 Achievements of Faculty & Staff publication. The booklet lists individuals who have earned awards or recognition on the national, regional, state, and local level as well as those who have presented, authored, exhibited, added to their educational credentials, and received grants or sabbaticals.

View the directory in an online flipbook: 2015-16 Achievements of Faculty & Staff.

Submitting Information for 2016-17 directory

The deadline for submissions for the 2016-2017 Achievements listing is May 31, 2017. Instructions on submitting information online will provided in the coming weeks.

Do you know a faculty or staff member who has accomplished something notable outside the classroom or in their community? We want to hear about them. Contact Jennifer Powers, [email protected].

Tags: accolades, Achievements of Faculty and Staff directory, LGBT eQuity

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