Hasegawa, an associate professor at WKCTC, received the Phelps Award, named in memory of Finis Sargent Phelps and Florence Grubbs Phelps that was established at the college in 1991. The purpose of this award is to emphasize quality, promote academic excellence, and reward competence in teaching in the Liberal Arts and Sciences disciplines. Hasegawa, a Paducah resident, joined the faculty of the Paducah School of Art and Design in 2008. He earned a Master of Fine Arts degree from the University of Oregon and serves in many leadership roles both on and off campus. He has expertise in curriculum development, advising and student success.
Peterson of Benton received the Paducah Junior College Faculty Award, which was established in 1999 and recognizes quality, competence and excellence in teaching in a technical field. Peterson earned a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Western Kentucky University and a Master of Science in Nursing from the University of Indiana. One her many accomplishments includes the development of a continuing education program that was a new requirement by the professions licensing board and the evaluation and redesign of an existing continuing education program for healthcare professionals returning to practice.
In addition, Paducah residents Mark Westerfield, Geelyn Warren and Nate Slaton were named WKCTC’s nominees for the Kentucky Community and Technical College System’s 2014 New Horizon Award.
Each KCTCS college nominates one administrative member, one faculty member, and one staff member for the award by their fellow college employees. One faculty member, one administrative member, and one staff member from the 48 people nominated will be chosen as the top staff and faculty representative at a special awards banquet to be held in May.
Slaton, interim director of enrollment management, was nominated in the administrative staff category. He is a champion for continuous improvement and constantly looks for ways to assist WKCTC students and, consequently, improve enrollment. Nominated in the faculty category, Westerfield, Air Conditioning Technology Program coordinator, joined the college in 2009. His first accomplishment was a redesign of the two-year diploma into a 12-month evening program. He has continued to introduce innovation, new teaching methodologies and current industry standards, which has resulted in a program with 80 to 90 percent completion and employment rates. Warren, a WKCTC Financial Aid loan coordinator, was nominated in the staff category. She has worked at the college since 2008 and demonstrates a deep commitment WKCTC’s culture of recruitment and retention with her ability to use software and technology to increase productivity in a manner that drives forward all college initiatives.
WKCTC faculty and staff honored at reception on April 25.
(L to R) John Hasegawa, winner of the 2014 Phelps Award; Mark Westerfield, KCTCS 2014 New Horizons nominee (faculty); Nate Slaton, KCTCS 2014 New Horizons nominee (administrative staff); and Miranda Peterson, 2014 Paducah Junior College Faculty Award. Not pictured: Geelyn Warren, KCTCS 2014 New Horizons Award nominee (staff).