Six employees were selected for annual honors during A-B Tech’s employee spring picnic on May 12. They were nominated by peers and students earlier in the year. Final selections were made by the college’s Faculty and Staff associations.
Staff Member of the Year: James Atkinson, Infrastructure Systems Analyst III. His nominator said, “He spends a fair amount of nights and weekend time looking through Azure AD and Office 365 alerts and logs. His diligence adds significantly to the security of our network.”
Faculty Member of the Year: Susan Russell, Welding Instructor at A-B Tech Madison. A student who nominated her said, “She is one of the best teachers I have ever had. She deserves this award for all sorts of reasons. I love seeing her energy and passion shine through while she teaches.”
Faculty Member of the Year: Jillian McMeans, Transition Courses Coordinator and Instructor, teaches math. One of her students had this to say, “This person pushed me, not only academically, but personally to overcome my insecurities. She is the reason I feel like I can succeed in college.”
Adjunct Faculty Member of the Year: Sereitha Miller is a Radiography Instructor. Her nominators all said she goes above and beyond what is expected. “She is supportive and dedicated to student success. Always willing to be flexible with her time, clinical locations, and duties, she is such a valued team member.”
Advisor of the Year: Pete Kennedy, Computer Technologies Chair. “Pete collects, processes, and refines concerns from all stakeholders to ensure the best outcome for students and faculty. He is communicative, always striving to deliver positive, constructive discussion, even about the most severe project obstacles.”
Continuing Education Instructor of the Year: Mark Applegate teaches woodworking through Occupational and Skilled Trades. One of his students said, “He is a very thorough teacher, and I have/am learning a lot and he has plenty of patience dealing with this demanding old lady, so he definitely deserves this award!”
Photo caption - From left, award winners Serietha Miller, James Atkinson, Pete Kennedy, and Jillian McMeans. Not pictured are Susan Russell and Mark Applegate.