SHORELINE, WA -- Shoreline Community College English Professor DuValle Daniel is one of five to recently receive the Seattle chapter A. Phillip Randolph Institute (APRI) Service award for her work supporting the mission of the organization that promotes racial equality and economic justice.

 Ms. Daniel was recognized for her support of the mission of the organization, which works for social justice by bringing together trade unions, community organizations and church leaders to work towards eliminating the impact of discrimination, racism, and classism by building coalitions.  Daniel has volunteered in many APRI activities such as the May Day March, Voter Protection and Registration, African American Legislative Day, serving seniors and many other activities under the leadership of President Verlene Jones. 

 Additionally, Daniel has represented APRI on the MLKCLC Diversity Council and has offered support to partner organizations that serve as voices in the African American community around issues that affect the disadvantaged, offering shelter, education, financial assistance and job training opportunities.  Her communication skills as an English professor are an asset to the organization as she helps with large volumes of letters, emails, flyers, minutes and other forms of communications at very short notice to mobilize large numbers of people regarding injustices. 

 “The efforts that DuValle and other faculty and staff make in our communities do not go unnoticed.  We encourage our students to be actively engaged in their communities and instructors such as DuValle are excellent role models,” said Vice President of Academic Affairs, John Backes. 

 When asked why she thinks she is receiving this award, Daniel said, “APRI recognizes the value of having someone who can be depended upon to show up where he or she is needed, to do the work that is necessary, and to stay there until the job is done.  All contributions are important, and APRI Seattle chapter appreciates that.”

Robin Heslop brings 21 years of experience as a crime prevention and community service officer to her new position as director of security at Shoreline Community College.

Heslop began her career in 1987 with the Everett Police Department where she spent nine years as a Police Specialist and Community Service Officer. Her duties focused on designing and conducting crime-prevention programs and presentations. Heslop was an instructor at the Criminal Justice/Police Training Center on security methods and personal safety. During her time in Everett, she developed, implemented and supervised the city’s first volunteer citizen-police unit.

More recently, Heslop has been the Crime Prevention Officer at the Edmonds Police Department, starting there in 1996. In Edmonds, Heslop recruited, trained and supervised a 40-member volunteer unit. During her first three years on the job, the city saw a 50 percent reduction in residential crime. Heslop was in charge of Edmonds’ National Night Out Against Crime program which received national honors in 2002 and 2003.

Heslop is a sought-after speaker on crime prevention, citizen volunteer units and community involvement and communication. For the past three years, she has also run a private crime-prevention consulting business.

“My big message is prevention and communication,” Heslop said. “I am really excited to make this campus a very safe place to be. I’d like SCC to be a model for safety and security.”

Heslop will report to Daryl Campbell, Vice President for Administrative Services. “Robin’s strengths are just what Shoreline Community College needs,” Campbell said. “Robin has experience as a supervisor, building and implementing crime-prevention programs that involve the community and she is a great communicator.”

Heslop takes over from Herb Johnson, who had served as interim director of safety security while the permanent-position search was conducted. Johnson, who had served at SCC twice before, came out of retirement to help the college through this transition period.

Heslop’s first day on the job at SCC will be Sept. 17.

No catastrophes happened that day.  No earthquake.  No flood.  No embarrassing moments (well, maybe a few, but we won’t talk about them). 

Although this year’s All-Campus Retirement Party fell on Friday, the 13^th, it didn’t stop folks from coming out to celebrate with this year’s retirees — Mark Durfee, Libby Fiene, Kathleen Lynch, Debbie Mayhew, Marcie Riedinger and Andrea Rye.  (Retirees Dick Davis and Gayle Holm were not able to attend.)  These employees, who gave a total of 167 years to the college, worked as professors, administrators and staff. 

Their work helped students get the financial aid and scholarship money they needed to get in or stay in school.  They taught them to use their critical thinking skills beyond the classroom so they could find success in their careers and in their lives.  They supported them and told them they could succeed if they worked hard.  They made sure they had the tools they needed, including class handouts and other documents.  They went to their ball games and performances.  In the end, they all gave the same thing to our students – the ability to trust in and believe in themselves.  Thanks retirees.  You made a difference.

Arlene’s (Strong) cake once again brought smiles.  Rocks and a flowing river illustrated the river of life theme.  As always, folks enjoyed eating it as well as looking at it!

All retirees were honored and party-goers had the opportunity to offer comments, stories, etc. about their friends and colleagues who were retiring.  As should be, there were tears and lots of laughs.  Goodbyes were said and plans were made for future lunches.  Memories were packed away for later times — bittersweet moments.

Thanks to the Shoreline Community College Foundation, Shoreline Federation of Teachers and the Washington Federation of State Employees for co-sponsoring this special event!

The WAVE (Washington Award for Vocational Excellence) Scholarship, created by the Washington State Legislature in 1984, recognizes the accomplishments of professional/technical students. The Workforce Training and Education Coordinating Board manages the scholarship program.

Meet Mitch Voag, this year’s recipient of the WAVE Scholarship.  Voag is one of those big guys who walks into a room and without saying a word, gets your attention.  He’s what some would nickname “Teddy Bear.”  The friendly guy exudes kindness, enthusiasm and optimism about life and his future, something really admirable considering what he and his family have been through.

Voag, 40, and his wife of 20 years, Teresa, were always grateful for the life they shared with their children, living the American Dream.  Voag’s work as a machinist provided a nice lifestyle for the family of four.  They lived in a nice home and didn’t have to worry about money. Their children attended local schools and played with the kids in the neighborhood.  Voag volunteered in his son’s classroom and as a leader in his Boy Scout Troop.  He also volunteered as an assistant coach for the YMCA tee-ball team and as a batting coach for the Mill Creek Little League team.  Weekends always meant fishing, hiking, swimming, riding bikes, playing golf, and snowball fights in winter. 

Then in 2005, Voag experienced a serious accident which forced him into early “retirement.”  He was unable to work for two years, pretty much flat out on his back.  Countless attempts by doctors to help the constant back pain brought nothing but bills and frustration.  Then, sadly, Voag was in for even more hardships.  Unable to pay his mortgage, Voag and his family lost the home they had had lived in for 14 years. 

When Voag was physically ready to move forward, he talked to the folks at the Division of Vocational Rehabilitation, where he learned about the Worker Retraining Program at Shoreline Community College, and in the fall of 2007, he enrolled in the Purchasing and Supply Chain Management program.  This particular program allowed Voag to utilize many of the skills he had used as a leader in the machinist industry.  His familiarity with production processes and bidding practices could prove invaluable in a purchasing position within the machinist industry.  Additionally, not only could he earn a two-year degree, he could earn a bachelor’s degree, and that opportunity looked pretty good to Voag. 

The Worker Retraining Program at Shoreline has helped countless people who have lost jobs for one reason or another.  They choose from 52 different professional-technical programs or enroll in additional training in the field they have already worked in, and after earning certificates or degrees, they often return for upgrade training.  Free tuition and books are usually provided for the initial two quarters of study. 

As in all professional-technical programs, Voag found that the program provides students with general business skills such as communications and computer applications along with accounting, business administration, math and economics training.  The program is highly regarded in industry and graduates who want to go on to earn four-year degrees transfer easily into junior year status. 

DECA advisor and business faculty member, David Starr says, “Mitch demonstrates good academic skills and is able to successfully translate the classroom lesson into his practical experiences.”  He also credits Voag for his ability to work as a leader and as a team member.  “He possesses and presents good personal characteristics.  He demonstrates honesty and dependability.”

At Shoreline, Voag found that by joining DECA, he would have opportunities to expand his leadership skills and confidence.  Taking on the challenge of working as the honor society’s public information officer, he created a user-friendly process to help the Public Information Office get photo release forms from students who were highlighted for marketing purposes.  He is currently working with another student to form a new club for students with disabilities.  “I would like to be Chancellor for Clubs,” says Voag. 

Purchasing faculty member Jerry Baker says that our graduates work around the Seattle area, including The Seattle Times, Phillips Medical Systems and Coastal Environmental Systems.  Employees of Boeing, Starbucks, Nintendo, the University of Washington and others take classes at Shoreline as well. 

Voag is optimistic about his career.  “The finances provided by this scholarship will enable me to complete my schooling in a field that will enable me to support my family and work with my new disability it will enable me to go into my retirement years.” 

He hopes to go on to earn a bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain Management from the University of Washington and eventually move into a senior buying position for a manufacturing company.

SHORELINE -  Stephen P. Smith is the new Vice President for Human Resources and Legal Affairs at Shoreline Community College.

“Stephen brings the mix of talents and experience that Shoreline Community College will need as it moves ahead,” SCC President Lee Lambert said Monday, June 2, 2008 in making the announcement.  “I want to thank the (candidate screening) committee for their very thoughtful and hard work in identifying highly qualified candidates for the campus community to meet with and consider.”

Smith’s responsibilities will include all elements of personnel administration pertaining to employees of the college. He will report directly to the president.

“Since my experience teaching at a community college more than a decade ago, I have remained inspired to return and apply my expanded repertoire of skills and experience,” Smith said. “I am dedicated to fostering positive change and personally committed to increasing understanding of the myriad values of cultural diversity in our society, communities and workplaces.”

Smith is currently Human Resources Liability Prevention/Dispute Resolution Manager for the state Department of Labor and Industries. From 1997-99, he was Diversity Program Manager for the state Liquor Control Board. Smith also served as an executive policy assistant to then-Gov. Mike Lowry from 1994-97. Smith’s community college teaching experience came during 1992-94 as an adjunct faculty member in the Social Sciences and Humanities Division at Olympic College in Bremerton. He was also a graduate teaching assistant in the Asian American Studies Department at the University of Washington from 1984-86.

Other job experience includes several diversity program administrator positions, recruitment and public relations for a California-based foundation and general manager of a cable TV franchise in California.

Smith is a proud product of public education: he received a law degree from the University of Washington in 1993 and a Bachelor of Arts from The Evergreen State College in 1981. He is a graduate of Seattle’s Garfield High School.

Smith will succeed Jim Tuttle, who had served as Interim Special Assistant to the President for Human Resources.

Smith will start at Shoreline Community College on July 1, 2008.