Events
Wake Tech Employees and Students Recognized For Excellence
RALEIGH, N.C. (April 23, 2015) - Wake Tech Community College recognized outstanding staff, faculty, and students this evening at its annual Excellence Awards dinner on Main Campus. President Stephen C. Scott bestowed the honors on eight staff and seven faculty members whose dedication to the mission of the college has distinguished them. Six students were honored for academic achievement. A Staff Member of the Year, a Faculty Member of the Year, and a Student of Academic Excellence were chosen for special recognition from among the Excellence Award winners.
Dr. John Boone, Dean of Institutional Effectiveness, Accreditation & Research, was named Staff Member of the Year. Dr. Boone has been instrumental in transforming college processes from paper to electronic systems. As liaison with the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS), Wake Tech’s accrediting agency, Dr. Boone led the college’s recent reaffirmation. Wake Tech was given “no recommendations” for improvement from the accrediting committee, an extremely rare occurrence, according to SACS.
Other staff members who received the Excellence in Service Award:
- Rhonda Thomason, Assistant to the Dean – Arts, Humanities & Social Sciences
- BJ Edwards, Business Services Project Manager
- Connie Zimmerman, Assistant to the Dean, Computer Technologies
- Michelle Ford, Secretary, Nursing
- Angela Spivey, Human Resources Analyst
- Clay Hines, General Counsel and Vice President for Legal Services
- Gina Beaudry, Assistant Registrar, Audit and Compliance
Jason Whitehead was named Instructor of the Year. Whitehead is a chemistry instructor in the Department of Natural Sciences and also Director of the Wake Tech Honors Program on Main Campus. He developed a Massive Open Online Course (MOOC), to help students prepare for college-level work in chemistry, called the CheMOOC. He has also worked to improve the Honors Program and pushed grants forward to develop his technical and teaching skills (and those of his colleagues) through professional development.
Six other faculty members also received Wake Tech’s Excellence in Teaching Award:
- Tonya Greene, Associate Professor/Director, First Year Academy
- Phillip Jefferson, Instructional Program Director, Architectural Technology
- Kate Kiec, Associate Professor, Spanish
- Denise Barton, Professor, Business Administration
- Susan Engel, Instructor, Medical Office Administration
- Lara Sheppa, Associate Professor, Nursing
Each employee received a plaque and a cash award. John Boone and Jason Whitehead will represent Wake Tech at the statewide NCCCS Excellence Competition in 2016.
Wake Tech student Korey Butler was named 2015 Student of Academic Excellence. Butler won the award in the Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences Division. She is a mother of two who is actively engaged in the campus community. She maintains a 3.83 GPA, serves as a Student Ambassador, and is a member of Phi Theta Kappa. Butler plans to transfer to UNC-Chapel Hill to earn a BA in Journalism and Mass Communications.
Five other students also received the President’s Award for Excellence:
- Suzanne Leone – Applied Engineering and Technologies
- Heather Therien – Business and Public Services Technologies
- Adelin Ramos – Computer Technologies
- Ismael Soki – Health Sciences
- Megan Dew – Mathematics and Sciences
Wake Tech’s Student Achievement Awards are named in honor of Dwight O. Ryan, father of Bryan K. Ryan, Senior VP of Curriculum, Education Services. Dwight Ryan was a successful entrepreneur and small business owner who believed strongly in the transformative power of education. He also believed in recognizing students who seek to enrich their lives through higher learning.
The Annual Excellence Awards are sponsored by the Wake Tech Foundation, which receives and administers private sector funds to support instructional programs.
