College kicks off campaign, picks distinguished instructors
By Phyllis Moore
Published in News on September 22, 2013 1:50 AM
Wayne Community College kicked off the annual fundraising campaign for its Foundation student scholarships Thursday afternoon -- and honored two instructors with Distinguished Chair awards.
The more dignified portion of the assembly of faculty and staff in Moffatt Auditorium was the recognition of two outstanding full-time faculty members with at least five years of service at the college.
President Kay Albertson announced this year's recipients, David Byrd and Janeil Marak. Each received a $5,500 travel stipend. They will later be asked to share their experiences with staff and their students.
Byrd is automotive/GM ASEP coordinator. A graduate of WCC, he also trained in Texas before returning to work at the college as an instructor in 1998, Mrs. Albertson said. Over the summer, he was named 2013 Mitchel 1 Educator of the Year at the North American Council of Automotive Teachers conference held in Quebec, Canada.
"His division chair recently told me, and I quote, 'He has as much knowledge in the transportation area as anyone I've ever met,'" she said.
Mrs. Marak, department chair of the dental hygiene program, also had impressive credentials, Mrs. Albertson said.
"Through her leadership, multiple curriculum evaluation processes were initiated that enhanced the overall success of the accreditation process," she said. "Without a doubt, this person is well-deserving of the award."
The assembly also served as the introduction of the annual campaign to generate student scholarship money.
Last year's budget for the Foundation was $450,000, said Bill Hunter, chairman of the Foundation board, and $25,000 was the goal for the internal fundraising effort.
"This year, we're shooting for $475,000 to help the students of this school," he told the audience. "Your goal for last year was $25,000 and we achieved that. This year it will be $29,000."
Mrs. Albertson encouraged the entire staff to support the effort.
"We want 100 percent of Wayne Community College employees to contribute," she said. "It's about scholarships, but it's also about providing services to you as employees, mini-grants, and it's about services to the community -- lectures and plays that people in Wayne County might not otherwise be able to afford and we do it for free."
One fundraiser, which is also open to the public, will take place this week. Thursday's program contained a sneak peek of the event, a womanless beauty pageant sponsored by the college's Criminal Justice Club.
The "Queen of Kings" pageant will be Thursday, Sept. 26, at 7 p.m. in Moffatt Auditorium, with proceeds going to student scholarships and the BLET, or Basic Law Enforcement Training program.
Staff members Randall Shearon, in the role of Bert Parks, along with Kirk Keller and Tracey Ivey, portraying Regis and Kathie Lee, respectively, served as commentators for the mini-version of the pageant, with two contestant representatives.
Du Wana Dreammaker from Nahunta, described as proprietor of a loin cloth repair business, was actually Duane Everhart, an instructor in the public safety program.
But on Thursday, he channeled Cher and sang his version of "Gypsies, Tramps and Thieves."
Ted Koger, a computer-integrated machining instructor in the industrial technologies program, donned cut-off jeans, a midriff top and cowboy boots to take on the persona of Ditzy Duke. "Her" assets wowed the audience, but not as much as the one-answer-fits-all responses during the interview segment -- "World peace."
The womanless pageant will feature 10 college employees. Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for children under age 12 and WCC students with college ID. They are being sold in advance in Room 103 of the Pine Building and the Foundation offices, Rooms 102 and 104 of the Dogwood Building.