Lake Ozark, Missouri – The Missouri Community College Association recognized two Ozarks Technical Community College faculty members at its 51st annual convention this week.Those recognized were chosen from thousands of peers across the state for their outstanding leadership, innovation and support of their community college campuses.
The honorees are:
Marianne Crocker – Senior Service Award
Crocker was hired in May of 1991 as the first science instructor at OTC. Thanks to her 25 years of dedication and hard work, OTC’s Bioclinical Sciences department is well-known throughout southwest Missouri as a respected and reputable educational program that thoroughly trains students for success in the Allied Health fields.
Rob Flatness – Mel Aytes Faculty Innovation Award
Instead of listening to traditional lectures, students in Flatness’ Turf and Landscape Management Capstone course are asked to choose an area on the campus grounds that needs updating. Students create a proposal for updating the area that they pitch to campus administration. One project is chosen, and, for the remainder of the semester, the entire class works to complete the project. Through this innovative approach, Flatness has turned teacher-centered instruction into student-centered learning.
The Missouri Community College Association’s annual convention is the largest professional development opportunity in Missouri solely focused on community colleges. Its four award banquets, nearly 50 breakout sessions and countless opportunities for peer-to-peer networking attract more than 500 attendees from across the state.