Friday, February 28, 2014

Weekly Update, Feb. 28

Nominations are open for LBCC's Distinguished Alumni Award, accepted through April 1. Awards honor alumni who have demonstrated outstanding accomplishments in their profession or through service to their community. Nominees must have completed at least 36 LBCC credits. Nomination forms are available at linnbenton.edu/distinguished-alumni. Nominees will be honored at a reception held in their honor May 7. For more information, contact the LBCC College Advancement Office at 541-917-4784.

It was announced at the Feb. 19 Board of Education meeting
that Dave Henderson would serve as the interim vice president of finance and operations until a replacement can be found for outgoing VP Jim Huckestein. Henderson, from Bend, comes to the position with 13 years of experience working on major programs with the state legislature, and four years with Marion County working on capital and IT projects. Henderson will work three days a week, mostly on college operations, while Betty Nielsen, director of accounting and budget, will be in charge of finance. The meeting also included discussion on the status of a potential bond measure for capital projects.

The LBCC Chapter of the American Association of Women in Community Colleges is accepting donations to help Annette Easdale’s family with expenses for her grandson, who was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia Feb. 14.  An anonymous donor has offered to match the donations up to $100. Donations will be taken through March 7, at which time a VISA gift card will be purchased for the family to use. If you would like to donate, please give your donation to any AAWCC Executive Board member: Linda Hobson, Vickie Keith, Karin Magnuson, M’Liss Runyon, Gwen Cox, or Jeanine Howell. Checks should be made payable to AAWCC. 

The 5th annual LBCC Unity Celebration was held at the Diversity Achievement Center Wednesday, Feb. 26. The event included presentation of the Analee Fuentes Unity Awards to honor LBCC students, staff and faculty members for their contributions to diversity and social justice. Albany Mayor Sharon Konopa and Chris Equinoa with the Albany Human Relations Committee attended along with a large group of LBCC faculty and staff. This year’s recipients were student Jordan Hagle, Admission staff member Christine Baker, and Welding and Fabrication faculty members Fred Stuewe and Dean Dowless. In addition, a new award was established in honor of former art faculty member Gary Westford. The Gary Westford Community Connection Award was presented in Gary’s name for his many contributions to our community and LBCC. The first recipient will be announced at next year’s Unity Celebration. LBCC communications faculty member Dana Emerson introduced the award, and put it best by saying “When you feel like you're having a museum experience on campus, you’re actually having a Gary Westford experience.”

Former art faculty member Gary Westford was honored with the
first Gary Westford Community Connection Award at the
recent Unity Celebration in the DAC.