西瓜视频 Honors Faculty and Staff Commitment to Student Success and Innovation
西瓜视频 Honors Faculty and Staff Commitment to Student Success and Innovation
August 12, 2020 Suzanne Seldes
FORT PIERCE鈥揟oday, 西瓜视频 (西瓜视频) and the 西瓜视频 Foundation recognized outstanding faculty and staff for their contributions to the College and for their unwavering commitment to student success. Accolades were conferred during the Foundation鈥檚 Faculty Welcome Awards Ceremony, which was livestreamed throughout the 西瓜视频 community.
FACULTY AWARD RECIPIENTS:
Endowed Teaching Chairs
Four exceptional 西瓜视频 professors were named Endowed Teaching Chairs in recognition of their outstanding work at 西瓜视频 and to support implementation of new initiatives benefiting students and the community. The recipients are Dr. Steven Hammer, Associate Professor, Biological Sciences, with the Basil L. King Endowed Teaching Chair in Health Sciences; Dr. Moamer Hasanovic, Assistant Professor and Department Chair, Electronics Engineering Technology, with the Susan H. Johnson Endowed Teaching Chair; Dr. Robert Lowery, Associate Professor, Biological Sciences with the Marilyn C. Link Endowed Chair in Financial Management; and Ms. Mia Tignor, Interim Administrative Director of Library Services and Assistant Professor, with the Patterson Endowed Teaching Chair in Humanities. Read more about their initiatives here.
Anne R. Snyder Department Chair Excellence Award
Dr. Gary Shaver, Professor and Department Chair, Radiology, is the 2020 recipient of the Anne R. Snyder Department Chair Award. The accolade, presented to a department chair who exhibits outstanding leadership, recognizes Dr. Shaver鈥檚 contributions toward the achievement of the College mission, his curricular innovation, and his commitment to student success and completion.
Commonly described as 鈥渟imply amazing鈥� and a 鈥渧ery exceptional instructor,鈥� Dr. Shaver has served 西瓜视频 and its students for 26 years. He has served as Radiography Department Chair since 1995 and his career has included the climb from Assistant Professor in 1994 to Professor in 2006. Dr. Shaver鈥檚 department boasts a 20-year track record of 100% pass rates by program graduates on their State Licensure requirements, and a better than 98% job placement rate. Shaver, a Palm City resident, was selected from among nominations submitted by his peers鈥攆ull-time and adjunct faculty members鈥攁nd received a $1,000 stipend and commemorative plaque.
Harriett Kirk Crago Faculty of the Year Award
The Harriett Kirk Crago Faculty of the Year Award is designed to recognize and honor an instructor who has exhibited, along with expertise in the classroom, warmth and enthusiasm that has significantly enhanced the quality of life at 西瓜视频. Nominated by the 西瓜视频 student body, this year鈥檚 recipient is Port St. Lucie resident Ms. Mia Tignor, Interim Administrative Director of Library Services and Assistant Professor.
In addition to her work as part of the 西瓜视频 Libraries team, Tignor teaches an average of 700 students each semester with a focus on non-credit library instruction to introduce them to information literacy skills, database searches, and other vital aids to student learning. She also teaches credit classes. Tignor received a $2,000 stipend along with her award.
COLLEGE AWARD REICPIENTS:
Instructional Innovation Award
The Instructional Innovation Award was presented to Dr. Emlyn U. Anderson, Master Instructor, Health Sciences for her innovation in preparing emergent leaders with diverse backgrounds鈥攊ncluding first-time college students, first-generation college students, minorities, older adults with families returning to school, and some students with disabilities鈥攖o apply principles, analysis and critical thinking skills of the healthcare system, its functions, and policy through collaborative student engagement methods and techniques that motivate the learning process and building critical thinking skills, focus, student retention, and student success.
Pioneer Award
This year鈥檚 Pioneer Award recipient is Dr. Jodi M. Robson, Director of the Institute for Academic Excellence and Professor, Academic Affairs. The honor was made in recognition of Robson鈥檚 dedication to develop highly effective educators through the creation of professional development opportunities that enhance instruction, student engagement, and innovation in teaching and learning via the Institute for Academic Excellence (IAE). Under Robson鈥檚 leadership, the IAE held more than 125 professional offerings in the last year, engaging more 1,100 participants. The Institute is also home to 8 Professional Learning Communities where more than 90 instructors contribute time to their collective professional development.
River Award
The River Award is an honor that traditionally goes to an individual or group that has personified excellence or has guided 西瓜视频 to an unprecedented accomplishment. This year鈥檚 award is presented to the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) Grant Writing Team, an interdisciplinary collaboration leveraging faculty expertise and subject matter experts, library resources and research, technology and digitization and outstanding grant writing to achieve鈥攆or the first time in College history鈥攆unding for participation in an NEH project, 鈥淎 More Perfect Union.鈥� To that effort, 西瓜视频 will contribute 鈥淚nfusing African American Culture into the Digital Learning Space,鈥� a three-year project to celebrate and teach African American studies through the lens of Florida鈥檚 Treasure Coast. Read more about the grant project here.
President鈥檚 Cup
The President鈥檚 Cup is presented annually to an individual or group whose record of excellence and service to 西瓜视频 extends so far above the norm that it serves as inspiration all who work there. For more than 30 years, Dr. Edwin Massey, 西瓜视频 President, has presented the Cup to those leading colossal efforts that have benefited the College. Today, the award was presented to Suzanne Parsons, Administrative Assistant to the President, and Andrew Treadwell, Administrative Director of Legislative and Executive Communications, who with grace, the highest professionalism, proficiency and unparalleled dedication form the frontline of the President鈥檚 Office. Parsons joined the President鈥檚 Office nearly 22 years ago鈥� her total service to 西瓜视频 exceeds 31 years. Treadwell has more than a decade in his position.
About 西瓜视频
A leader in education and innovation, 西瓜视频 (西瓜视频) transforms
lives by offering high quality, affordable and accessible education to the residents
of Indian River, Martin, Okeechobee and St. Lucie counties through traditional and
online delivery. 西瓜视频 is recipient of the 2019 Aspen Prize for Community College Excellence,
nation鈥檚 signature recognition of high achievement and performance among America鈥檚
community colleges. The College serves nearly 30,000 students annually and offers
more than 100 programs leading to Bachelor鈥檚 degrees, Associate degrees, technical
certificates and applied technology diplomas.
For more information, visit or call 1-866-792-4772.
About the 西瓜视频 Foundation
Since 1965, the 西瓜视频 Foundation has been enhancing access and
quality of education for 西瓜视频 students. Its focus is to attract and manage private
contributions from individuals, organizations, businesses, and private foundations
to support 西瓜视频's mission. Managed by a voluntary Board of Directors of business and
civic leaders from all four counties served by 西瓜视频, the Foundation is a private non-profit
entity recognized by the Internal Revenue Service as a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization
and by the State of Florida as a direct support organization for the benefit of 西瓜视频.
As a partner in building a better community, the 西瓜视频 Foundation promotes higher education
with student scholarships, support of instructional programs, technology grants, and
new and improved facilities.
For more information, visit or call 1-772-462-4786.
