Eight State Fair Community College nominees received awards Nov. 2-4 at the Missouri Community College Association’s (MCCA) 52nd annual convention in Branson.
The student, faculty, staff, and supporters of the college were chosen from thousands of peers across Missouri for their outstanding leadership, innovation and support of SFCC.
• English instructor Anne Homan received the Senior Service Award. Homan has been an English Composition faculty member since 1992. She also has taught leadership classes since 1996 and organized 15 service learning and leadership trips for more than 300 students. Homan serves as division chair of Communications Studies and Wellness.
• SFCC’s Financial Aid staff and Dr. Joe Gilgour, dean of Student and Academic Support Services, received the Technology Innovation Award. They developed an online appeal process for financial aid satisfactory academic progress that reduced the number of appeals and decreased processing time from weeks to days.
• Hannah McCoy received the Student Leadership Award. McCoy is student body president, a member of Phi Theta Kappa national honor society and has been named to the President’s and Dean’s lists.
• Amanda Stoecklein, Business Marketing instructor, received the Administrative Professional Leadership Award for her accomplishments as Admissions and Outreach director prior to becoming an instructor. Stoecklein led a reorganization of the department, developed a “College Connections” workshop for high school students and increased dual credit enrollment by 200 percent.
• Hope Lecchi, education reporter for The Sedalia Democrat, received the News Media Award for her comprehensive coverage of SFCC news and human interest articles about college programs and staff.
• The Sylvia G. Thomson Charitable Trust received the Award of Distinction for its contributions to the SFCC Foundation, which were used to help build the Heckart Science and Allied Health Center and to expand SFCC’s Nursing program. Since 2008, trustees Adam Fischer, Jim Mathewson and Bill Shumake have committed $830,000 to ensuring a quality workforce for Sedalia’s health care industry.
• The PPS Group LLC received the Distinguished Business and Industry Award for its participation in SFCC’s Energy Innovation Center, a community-led alternative energy research, development, commercialization, and training center. The PPS Group is dedicated to stimulating economic activity and supporting students and programs. Joe Fischer, CEO, accepted the award.
• Jorge Guevara received the Distinguished Alumni Award for his accomplishments since graduating from SFCC with a Professional Certificate in Practical Nursing in 2005, an Associate of Arts degree in 2006 and an Associate of Applied Science degree in Nursing in 2009. In 2010 he received a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from the University of Central Missouri. Guevara and his family founded GUESA USA Investments in 2011 and have developed multimillion-dollar projects in Sedalia and Florida and employ more than 200 people. GUESA USA also is an athletics sponsor for SFCC and other local schools and provides scholarships for students at Sacred Heart High School.
Rep. Denny Hoskins of District 54, which includes Pettis and Johnson counties in the SFCC service area, received the Distinguished Legislator Award for his efforts on behalf of his constituents and his support of community colleges and higher education.
Two SFCC staff members also presented during informational sessions at the conference. Dr. Amanda Herwatic, director of Student Success and Retention, presented “The Female Experience: Navigating the Labyrinth of Leadership,” and she and Dr. Joe Gilgour, dean of Student and Academic Support Services, co-presented the “Year Two Impact of SFCC’s Navigator Program.”
MCCA is a statewide organization that provides advocacy, education, information, and networking opportunities for the state’s 5,700 community college faculty, staff, administrators, and trustees. More than 500 people attended this year’s convention.
