Flickinger named national trustee of the year
Mrs. Marie Flickinger, San Jacinto College Board of Trustees member, has earned the 2013 M. Dale Ensign Trustee Leadership Award. The award, given by the Association of Community College Trustees (ACCT), honors an individual who has made a significant contribution as a lay trustee toward promoting the community college concept. “I am humbly honored by this award, but the recognition truly belongs to our College, Chancellor, and Board of Trustees for the great strides we have made in student success,” said Mrs. Flickinger. “Working with San Jacinto College has given me much more than I could ever give.” Mrs. Flickinger was considered for the Ensign award after being named the ACCT 2013 Western Regional Trustee. She was nominated because of her impact to San Jacinto College and its students.
Williamson earns Carl M. Nelson Administrative Leadership Award
Veteran San Jacinto College administrator Dr. Laurel Williamson recently won the Carl M. Nelson Administrative Leadership Award, which is presented by the Texas Association of Community Colleges to recognize outstanding leadership qualities. The Nelson leadership award was established in memory of Carl M. Nelson, former president of Texarkana College who helped many as they assumed leadership positions in community colleges. Williamson began at San Jacinto College in 2007 as vice chancellor for learning and student success. She assumed the newly created position of deputy chancellor and president in February 2013. Williamson has earned numerous national awards through the years for innovation, collaboration, and leadership. Significant recognitions include the Outstanding Administrative Support for Developmental Education Award, the National Institute for Staff and Organizational Development Excellence Award (2004 and 2009), the Outstanding First Year Student Advocate Award, and the Instructional Leadership Award. News of the prestigious award came as a complete surprise to Williamson, who serves as deputy chancellor and president of San Jacinto College. “I was speechless,” she commented. “I felt honored, humbled, and extremely grateful for this show of confidence.”
North Shore Rotary supports San Jacinto College students
The North Shore Rotary Club donated $11,000 to the San Jacinto College Foundation to help students in the Modified Early College High School (MECA) program attend college. “These scholarships are another way to expand our exceptional scholarship program in the North Shore area,” said Davis. “Most of the students we support are in the lower socioeconomic category. The best way to break the cycle of poverty is through hard work and dedication. Supporting the San Jacinto College Foundation and the scholarships they support help accomplish that goal.” Each year, the North Shore Rotary holds its annual fish fry and crawfish boil. Proceeds from the event are donated to various organizations throughout the North Shore community. To date, the North Shore Rotary Club has funded more than $600,000 in scholarships to students attending the San Jacinto College North Campus. They have also given scholarships in vocational training, general education, and nursing. Recently, the club began a program to support graduating North Campus students that transfer to a university within 50 miles of Houston.
Houston Pilots and San Jacinto College collaborate to train mariners on bridge simulators
San Jacinto College will acquire three interactive bridge simulators for professional mariner training thanks to a collaborative agreement with the Houston Pilots. The simulators, valued at approximately $1.5 million, are room-sized replicas of ship control bridges, each with a 270-degree view and life-like graphics displayed on multiple 65-inch monitors. They will come complete with instructor stations, debrief classrooms, and development stations. Previously, the Houston Pilots often traveled the globe for such training. By having bridge simulators available locally, they are able to customize the system to exact specifications required for the very unique conditions in the Houston Ship Channel. Capt. Mitch Schacter, director of the San Jacinto College maritime program, noted how bridge simulator training varies regionally.