IRSC Honors Faculty and Staff Commitment to Student Success and Innovation

August 12, 2020 Suzanne Seldes

FORT PIERCE–Today, Indian River State College (IRSC) and the Indian River State College Foundation recognized outstanding faculty and staff for their contributions to the College and for their unwavering commitment to student success. Accolades were conferred during the Foundation’s Faculty Welcome Awards Ceremony, which was livestreamed throughout the IRSC community.

the IRSC 2020 College Awards Ceremony

FACULTY AWARD RECIPIENTS:

Endowed Teaching Chairs

Four exceptional Indian River State College professors were named Endowed Teaching Chairs in recognition of their outstanding work at IRSC and to support implementation of new initiatives benefiting students and the community. The recipients are Dr. Steven Hammer, Associate Professor, Biological Sciences, with the Basil L. King Endowed Teaching Chair in Health Sciences; Dr. Moamer Hasanovic, Assistant Professor and Department Chair, Electronics Engineering Technology, with the Susan H. Johnson Endowed Teaching Chair; Dr. Robert Lowery, Associate Professor, Biological Sciences with the Marilyn C. Link Endowed Chair in Financial Management; and Ms. Mia Tignor, Interim Administrative Director of Library Services and Assistant Professor, with the Patterson Endowed Teaching Chair in Humanities. Read more about their initiatives here.

Anne R. Snyder Department Chair Excellence Award

Dr. Gary Shaver, Professor and Department Chair, Radiology, is the 2020 recipient of the Anne R. Snyder Department Chair Award. The accolade, presented to a department chair who exhibits outstanding leadership, recognizes Dr. Shaver’s contributions toward the achievement of the College mission, his curricular innovation, and his commitment to student success and completion.

Commonly described as “simply amazing” and a “very exceptional instructor,” Dr. Shaver has served IRSC and its students for 26 years. He has served as Radiography Department Chair since 1995 and his career has included the climb from Assistant Professor in 1994 to Professor in 2006. Dr. Shaver’s department boasts a 20-year track record of 100% pass rates by program graduates on their State Licensure requirements, and a better than 98% job placement rate. Shaver, a Palm City resident, was selected from among nominations submitted by his peers—full-time and adjunct faculty members—and received a $1,000 stipend and commemorative plaque.

Harriett Kirk Crago Faculty of the Year Award

The Harriett Kirk Crago Faculty of the Year Award is designed to recognize and honor an instructor who has exhibited, along with expertise in the classroom, warmth and enthusiasm that has significantly enhanced the quality of life at IRSC. Nominated by the IRSC student body, this year’s recipient is Port St. Lucie resident Ms. Mia Tignor, Interim Administrative Director of Library Services and Assistant Professor.

In addition to her work as part of the IRSC Libraries team, Tignor teaches an average of 700 students each semester with a focus on non-credit library instruction to introduce them to information literacy skills, database searches, and other vital aids to student learning. She also teaches credit classes. Tignor received a $2,000 stipend along with her award.

COLLEGE AWARD REICPIENTS:

Instructional Innovation Award

The Instructional Innovation Award was presented to Dr. Emlyn U. Anderson, Master Instructor, Health Sciences for her innovation in preparing emergent leaders with diverse backgrounds—including first-time college students, first-generation college students, minorities, older adults with families returning to school, and some students with disabilities—to apply principles, analysis and critical thinking skills of the healthcare system, its functions, and policy through collaborative student engagement methods and techniques that motivate the learning process and building critical thinking skills, focus, student retention, and student success.

Pioneer Award

This year’s Pioneer Award recipient is Dr. Jodi M. Robson, Director of the Institute for Academic Excellence and Professor, Academic Affairs. The honor was made in recognition of Robson’s dedication to develop highly effective educators through the creation of professional development opportunities that enhance instruction, student engagement, and innovation in teaching and learning via the Institute for Academic Excellence (IAE). Under Robson’s leadership, the IAE held more than 125 professional offerings in the last year, engaging more 1,100 participants. The Institute is also home to 8 Professional Learning Communities where more than 90 instructors contribute time to their collective professional development.

River Award

The River Award is an honor that traditionally goes to an individual or group that has personified excellence or has guided IRSC to an unprecedented accomplishment. This year’s award is presented to the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) Grant Writing Team, an interdisciplinary collaboration leveraging faculty expertise and subject matter experts, library resources and research, technology and digitization and outstanding grant writing to achieve—for the first time in College history—funding for participation in an NEH project, “A More Perfect Union.” To that effort, IRSC will contribute “Infusing African American Culture into the Digital Learning Space,” a three-year project to celebrate and teach African American studies through the lens of Florida’s Treasure Coast. Read more about the grant project here.

President’s Cup

The President’s Cup is presented annually to an individual or group whose record of excellence and service to IRSC extends so far above the norm that it serves as inspiration all who work there. For more than 30 years, Dr. Edwin Massey, IRSC President, has presented the Cup to those leading colossal efforts that have benefited the College. Today, the award was presented to Suzanne Parsons, Administrative Assistant to the President, and Andrew Treadwell, Administrative Director of Legislative and Executive Communications, who with grace, the highest professionalism, proficiency and unparalleled dedication form the frontline of the President’s Office. Parsons joined the President’s Office nearly 22 years ago— her total service to IRSC exceeds 31 years. Treadwell has more than a decade in his position.

About IRSC
A leader in education and innovation, Indian River State College (IRSC) transforms lives by offering high quality, affordable and accessible education to the residents of Indian River, Martin, Okeechobee and St. Lucie counties through traditional and online delivery. IRSC is recipient of the 2019 Aspen Prize for Community College Excellence, nation’s signature recognition of high achievement and performance among America’s community colleges. The College serves nearly 30,000 students annually and offers more than 100 programs leading to Bachelor’s degrees, Associate degrees, technical certificates and applied technology diplomas.

For more information, visit www.irsc.edu or call 1-866-792-4772.

About the IRSC Foundation
Since 1965, the Indian River State College Foundation has been enhancing access and quality of education for IRSC students. Its focus is to attract and manage private contributions from individuals, organizations, businesses, and private foundations to support IRSC's mission. Managed by a voluntary Board of Directors of business and civic leaders from all four counties served by IRSC, the Foundation is a private non-profit entity recognized by the Internal Revenue Service as a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization and by the State of Florida as a direct support organization for the benefit of IRSC. As a partner in building a better community, the IRSC Foundation promotes higher education with student scholarships, support of instructional programs, technology grants, and new and improved facilities.

For more information, visit www.irscfoundation.org or call 1-772-462-4786.