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Annual awards celebrate outstanding faculty and staff
The 2019 Faculty & Staff Award winners have distinguished themselves in their teaching and service to the students of Fort Lewis College. Each winner was acknowledged at the Employee Recognition Reception on April 29 at 3:30 p.m. in the Student Union Ballroom by their colleagues and President Tom Stritikus.
Deborah Walker, Alice Admire Outstanding Teaching Award
Professor of Economics, School of Business Administration
The Alice Admire Outstanding Teaching Award recognizes excellence in classroom teaching that includes a demonstrated success in interpersonal relationships with students, showing genuine concern for their personal and social development along with their academic progress.
Walker is a professor of economics in the School of Business Administration at Fort Lewis College. She joined the college in 2002 and has also served as director of the Fort Lewis College Office of Economic Analysis and Business Research. Dr. Walker frequently leads groups of students to complete Economic Impact Studies for businesses and organizations in the Four Corners region.
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"She taught us the foundations of economics and gave us the tools and capabilities to dig deeper and go beyond that status quo reasoning. She opened my mind to think like an economist. Economics is a social science and can be very difficult to grasp certain concepts to say the least. Whenever she felt we did not understand the concepts, or when she saw us struggling, she took the extra time to work with each of us until we gained a better grasp of the material. What I like the most about Professor Walker is that she cares. There is no doubt that she loves what she does every day. Most importantly, she cares for her students."
Nominator
Callie Cole, Ginny Hutchins Teaching Award for New Faculty
Assistant Professor of Chemistry, School of Arts & Sciences
The Ginny Hutchins Teaching Award for New Faculty nominations are recommended by tenured faculty and must include input from students. Only teaching is considered for this award and criteria includes excellence in course development and delivery, excellence in student advising and mentoring, and creative, innovative endeavors or initiatives in instruction.
Cole is in her third year as an assistant professor of Chemistry at Fort Lewis College in this short time she has already established herself as a teacher of the highest caliber. She is a gifted teacher who powerfully motivates students to work hard and fundamentally understand difficult concepts in the classroom.
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"Dr. Callie Cole is an inspiring teacher. She is a true innovator, and in her short time here, she has redesigned existing courses and has utilized innovative teaching techniques in all of her classes. Her hard work has convinced countless FLC students, who might not have thought it possible, to pursue undergraduate or graduate work in Chemistry."
Nominator
Marc Huber, Outstanding Staff Award
Assistant Director of Operations & Maintenance, Physical Plant Services
The Outstanding Staff Award is awarded to any classified or exempt staff member who has performed service during each of the past three years. This award considers excellence in the performance of duties; successful interpersonal relationships with the public, peers and supervisors; sincere concern in developing and progressing to performance that is outstanding; contributions to the growth and development of Fort Lewis College as an institute of higher learning; and demonstrated commitment to college and/or community service.
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"Marc is an extremely talented and exceptionally loyal employee of Fort Lewis College. We saw a demonstration of his commitment to the college this past winter as Marc worked week after week, at all hours of the day and night, sometimes not going home, as one work day rolled into another. It is a privilege to work alongside of Marc. I learn from him, I admire him, and I know Fort Lewis College is extremely fortunate to have a person like Marc dedicated to making the College a better place for all."
Nominator
Jim Dickson, Kathy Wellborn Outstanding Teaching Award
Chemistry Lecturer, School of Arts & Sciences
The Kathy Wellborn Outstanding Teaching Award recognizes non-tenure track faculty and their contributions to the College as lecturers and part-time instructors for multiple semesters. This award is named in honor of Kathy Wellborn, a long-time instructor in the Transitional Studies and First-year Math Programs from 1981 to 2015, who epitomized exemplary teaching and mentoring of students.
Dickson is currently in his fifth year as lecturer in the Chemistry & Biochemistry Department. Prior to his appointment at Fort Lewis College, he taught chemistry and physics at Durango High School and Escalante Middle School. Decades of teaching experience have provided Dickson with the background necessary to excel in the classroom and laboratory.
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"Clearly Mr. Dickson is committed to the Department, the College, and, most importantly, our students. His innovative instruction, ability to connect with students inside and outside the classroom, combined with his exceptional course delivery make him an excellent candidate for the Kathy Wellborn outstanding teaching award for non-tenure track faculty... he truly embodies the spirit of the [award]."
Nominator
Dawn Mulhern, Achievement Award
Chair and Professor of Anthropology, School of Arts & Sciences
The Achievement Award is given to a faculty, staff, or administrator with a superior record of competence, resourcefulness, and dedication; noteworthy involvement in activities that serve to advance academic, athletic, intercultural, Honors, or intramural programs; evidence of creative achievement, significant research, technical training, or professional growth; significant, innovative work that has broadened the College’s service to the students and community; and demonstrated leadership in education, social and professional programs.
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"Dr. Dawn Mulhern epitomizes and surpasses the selection criteria for the Fort Lewis Achievement Award. She is a natural and dedicated leader of the Department of Anthropology and has created a culture of collaboration, creativity and support that I have never seen before. She is an engaged and caring teacher and mentor to students within and without the classroom. She is an accomplished scholar that actively engages students and peers. Dr. Mulhern continually supports and expands academic and community based programs on and off campus for the good of students, faculty and community members."
Nominator
Rick Gore, Roger Peters Distinguished Professor Award
Professor of Accounting, School of Business Administration
The Roger Peters Distinguished Professor Award was created in 2008 to honor Dr. Peter’s long and productive career of scholarly achievement and exemplary service. Dr. Peter’s was an active scholar throughout his career who also maintained a commendable record of service. The recipient of this award is, likewise, honored for their excellence in all facets of their career – teaching, scholarship, and service. This award represents the best levels of achievement in our faculty: excitement and enthusiasm for one’s pedagogical philosophy; theory and practice both in and out of the classroom; extensive service and leadership to students, colleagues, and the community. This award honors a career culmination.
Gore has been part of the faculty at Fort Lewis College since 2006. He has progressed from Associate to Full Professor and has taught almost every accounting course that the School of Business Administration offers. He has also been faculty advisor for the FLC chapter of Beta Alpha Psi, the International Honor Organization for Financial Information Students and Professionals.
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"Rick is committed to students making a smooth transition from college to the accounting profession. He advises them on career path options and has made numerous student introductions to accounting professionals that have resulted in jobs and internships for students. I feel lucky that Rick has been my colleague for over a decade and I am certain the students feel lucky to have Rick as a professor."
Nominator
Years of Service
The following faculty and staff were recognized for their years of service at FLC:
Thirty-Five Years
Elroy Garcia
Twenty-Five Years
Vickie Albrecht, Ana Hale, Yuriko Miller, Rebecca Padilla
Twenty Years
Wilfred Albo, Brett Deming, Sharon Doty, Mark Gutt, Sandy Hoagland, Michele Peterson, Annette Romero
Fifteen Years
Brian Burke, Jane Cobb, Brandon Denhartog, Jake Epps, Leslie Goldstein, Wendy Javier, Nikolai Kendziorski, Peter McCormick, Ayla Moore, Edward Rifilato
Ten Years
Lynne Andrew, Majel Boxer, Elizabeth Bussian, William Camp, Rebecca Clausen, Erin Cummins-Roper, Brett Davis, Jason Flores, Tommy Frederico, Charles Leslie, Justin McBrayer, Anne McCarthy, Ross McCauley, Randy Palmer, Albert Roberts, Laura Scull, Mary Shepherd, Molly Wieser, Randy Willis
Five Years
Timothy Birchard, Lorien Chambers Schuldt, Marnie Clay, William Donelan, Steven Fenster, Patrick Flores, Brian Foster, Amber Grenhart, Alicia Hernandez, Mark Jastorff, C. Rene Klotz, Lorinda, Knight, Patrick Leahy, Kathy Lopez, Anna McBrayer, Aimee Morris, William Nollet, Acie Patterson, Bert Poulton, Adam Ruetschle, Steven Sandner, Paul Seibel, Ryan Smith, Lorraine Taylor, Melissa Thompson, Michael Valdez, John Werner