Excellence in education and the community will be celebrated on Saturday, May 8, 2010, when Estrella Mountain Community College (EMCC), Glendale Community College (GCC), and the Maricopa Community Colleges Foundation present the fourth annual Awards for Excellence at the Wigwam Golf Resort and Spa in Litchfield Park.
The recognition dinner and gala, which benefits scholarships and programs at both West Valley community colleges, begins at 6:00 p.m. with a reception and silent auction followed by dinner, awards presentations and a dance. Sponsorships ranging from $10,000 to individual tickets for $65 are available. For details, contact Suzanne Smelser at 623-845-3477 or [email protected] or http://www.estrellamountain.edu/hub/awards/tickets.asp.
Organizations and individuals who have made exemplary contributions to students and community success are being recognized. Honorees include:
OUTSTANDING COMMUNITY PARTNER
AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE
APS/Palo Verde Nuclear Generating Station
HONORED BY EMCC
Estrella Mountain Community College and APS/Palo Verde Nuclear Generating Station have established a long-term partnership that prepares local citizens for careers in the nuclear industry. For many years, Palo Verde worked with EMCC on the maintenance apprenticeship program and recently partnered with the college to establish a radiation protection program. Palo Verde is currently in the process of working with the college on obtaining recognition of these two programs under the Nuclear Uniform Curriculum Program, which will allow the recipient (student) to be a qualified worker at many nuclear facilities across the nation. Power plant technology training being offered by the college is critical to Palo Verde as well as other local industries. In the last ten years, APS has contributed more than $65,000 to the Maricopa Community Colleges.
OUTSTANDING COMMUNITY PARTNER
AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE
Sun CityGrand Music Club
HONORED BY GCC
The Sun City Grand Music Club is comprised of residents living in the senior community of Sun City Grand. Club members share a love of music and are dedicated to the performance of vocal and instrumental music for the enjoyment of its participants and the public. The music club includes more than a dozen bands and choral groups. In 2003, the club visited the GCC campus and said they were so impressed with the caliber of the faculty, state-of-the-art equipment and talented students, that they announced they were endowing a scholarship to benefit students participating in instrumental or vocal performances. Since then, the club has given $35,000 to GCC by contributing $5,000 annually. Each year, the students who receive the scholarships are invited to perform at a musical showcase at Sun City Grand. The scholarship is the only privately funded music scholarship available to GCC students.
OUTSTANDING ALUMNI
AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE
Cuauhtémoc “Memo” Espinoza
HONORED BY EMCC
Teaching and learning is at the heart of all that Lieutenant Cuauhtémoc “Memo” Espinoza has a passion for. From starting as a young student at Estrella Mountain Community College in 1993, to joining the Marine Corps and ultimately becoming Lieutenant at the Avondale Police Department, Espinoza has continued his education and his passion for teaching others. Espinoza earned a Bachelor of Science in Public Safety Administration from Grand Canyon University and a Master of Business Administration from University of Phoenix. He has completed training in several areas including Violent Crime Scenes Investigation, SWAT, Negotiations, and more than 200 additional police, investigations, leadership, and management courses. Espinoza has been honored by the Police Department for successfully resolving hostage situations and solving multiple homicides as a detective; and was also recognized as Supervisor of the Quarter in 2007. A member of many local professional organizations, adjunct instructor for Grand Canyon University, and teacher of State of Arizona Law Enforcement programs, Espinoza truly exudes excellence in our community.
OUTSTANDING ALUMNI
AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE
David Thibodeaux
HONORED BY GCC
David Thibodeaux began his musical career as a trumpet player in the Marine Corp’s field bands. Honorably discharged, he attended GCC in the late 90s as a music major and performed so well that he received a full scholarship to Northern Arizona University. Receiving his bachelor’s degree in music performance; he went on to complete his masters at the University of Maryland. Returning to Phoenix in 2004, he taught trumpet privately and performed as a professional musician. In 2005, he returned to GCC to teach classes he still instructs today -- “Rock Music and Culture” and “Jazz History.” As a musician, he continues to play many venues including the Flagstaff Symphony, the West Valley Symphony, The Phoenix Boys Choir, The Phoenix Opera, the Arizona Broadway Theatre and The Musica Nova Orchestra.
OUTSTANDING STUDENT ADVOCATE
AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE
Jason Martinez
HONORED BY EMCC
Jason Martinez has been working for the Maricopa Community College District since 1991, where he has served in the areas of counseling, career development, advisement, assessment, recruitment/ retention, multicultural training and student affairs. A strong advocate for students, Martinez spearheaded the Men of Color movement throughout the Maricopa Community College District, and started an active Men of Color Association (MOCA) at EMCC. He also implemented a college cohort counseling process, assists faculty and staff in dealing with students in crisis, and was instrumental in the implementation of the Starfish Early Alert Retention Program. Martinez has presented nationally and regionally on topics of racial identity development theory and how it applies to bi-racial or multi-racial identity, and is a certified mediator in Arizona. He has held offices such as EMCC Faculty Senate President, Chair of the Faculty Associations Legislative Committee,and for four years served as Chair of the Arizona Civil Rights Advisory Board.
OUTSTANDING STUDENT ADVOCATE
AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE
Dr. Robert Albury
HONORED BY GCC
For more than 20 years, Dr. Robert Albury has been a member of the faculty at GCC. An outstanding master teacher and accomplished musician, he provides students with a solid music theory and composition foundation. As the chair for the Performing Arts Department since 1997, Albury has focused on increasing high quality, learning opportunities for students in dance, theatre arts and a range of musical specialties. He has recruited outstanding adjunct faculty and brought in excellent full-time faculty members. He tirelessly worked to gain approval for funding to renew the existing GCC Performing Arts facility and to add a new music classroom building. In addition to numerous initiatives for the Performing Arts Department, he has been influential in the development of college-wide processes that have resulted in the admirable stewardship of public funds while meeting of the needs of GCC programs and students. He attends countless student and faculty performances and provides support for faculty community involvement and student recruitment.