May 15, 2002
INFORMATION: Sue Bozman or John McElwain, (661) 362-3415 or 3494

College of the Canyons Recognizes Employees

Employees at College of the Canyons were recognized for their contributions to the college at an awards luncheon on Wednesday, May 15. The outdoor luncheon was held with the "twist" that board members, administrators and managers served college "classified" employees a catered meal.

Classified employees hold support positions at the college, which don't require academic qualifications. They are most often the behind-the-scenes people who are responsible for the day-to-day functioning of the college. This is the sixth year that awards were presented to individuals in several categories. Five awards were presented.

The Employee of the Year award consists of a decorative plaque and $300 cash. The College of the Canyons Employee of the Year was awarded to Joe Silva who works in the college's warehouse. The award recognizes an individual who has made contributions to the college through service to the campus. Additional criteria are overall performance above and beyond regular duties as well as demonstrated leadership.

The Humanitarian Award went to Dennis Lettau. Lettau works as an Instructional Lab Technician in the Tutoring/Learning/Computing Lab (TLC) on campus. This award acknowledges an indispensable contribution to the college and cites community involvement and dedication. The award consists of a decorative plaque and a $100 cash award.

The New Visions Award recognizes an employee who brings new insight to the job, which improves the college. A positive attitude and providing an inspiration to other employees are key elements in selecting the award winner. The 2002 New Visions Award winner is Michael Gunther, webmaster for the college. His award consists of a plaque and a $100 cash award.

A decorative plaque and a $100 cash award also went to Renee Drake, this year's winner of the Professional Achievement Award. Drake works in the Graphics office at the college and also coordinates Distance Learning and College-by-TV classes. The award recognizes outstanding performance through educational achievement and a record of excellent job performance.

The final award is the California School Employee Association (CSEA) Member of the Year Award. The association has 175 members on the COC campus. Chris Miner, administrative assistant to the facilities office is this year's winner. She also received a plaque and $100 cash.

The awards were presented by College Superintendent-President, Dr. Dianne G. Van Hook.