TMCC Commencement • May 10, 2024 2024 Faculty Excellence in Service Award Sidney Sullivan Sidney Sullivan has worked at TMCC since 2004 and is passionate about students and helping them find their way to a fulfilling career. In her first role at the college, she served as the Employment Specialist for the Re-Entry Center, working with single parents and displaced homemakers on their job search skills and employment goals. She is currently the Program Director of the Career & Partnership Programs Office, a part of the Student Life Department. In addition to the Career Hub, she manages grant and state-funded programs that support displaced homemakers, those who are justice-involved, on food stamps, under-employed, or facing other barriers. Sidney is also a lifetime certified Bridges Out of Poverty trainer. Sidney represents TMCC in the community by serving as the cochair of the Reno Housing Authority’s Network of Employers and Trainers Program Coordinating Committee, and the Vice President of the Board of Directors for Opportunity Alliance Nevada, which administers programs that support Nevadans seeking financial stability. Her personal goal is to help people find gratifying careers that will support themselves and their families. She believes that everyone has the ability, but we all need a little help overcoming barriers. By helping our students, we are supporting our community and changing Northern Nevada for the better. Sidney holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Journalism from the University of Montana, and a Master of Science degree in Equity and Diversity in Education from the University of Nevada, Reno. 2024 Faculty Excellence in Teaching Award Dr. Cecilia Vigil Dr. Cecilia Vigil stands out as a paragon of educational excellence and commitment to sustainability, seamlessly integrating advanced scientific inquiry with profound environmental and community engagement at TMCC. Through her role as an instructor and mentor, she has nurtured curiosity and passion for science in her students, guiding them in meaningful research projects and hands-on fieldwork, such as the milkweed habitat restoration. Her innovative approach to teaching, underscored by her leadership in the Year of Sustainability initiative, has fostered academic growth and instilled a keen awareness of sustainability issues among students and faculty alike. Cecilia takes on leadership roles in projects like the TMCC Dandini Pollinator Garden, Bee Campus USA, and the Ecoblitz events, which emphasize citizen science and wildlife conservation practices. Her development of a Natural History Museum and the introduction of virtual Anatomage tables for anatomy studies highlight her commitment to leveraging technology for educational advancement. Her role in creating a broad spectrum of undergraduate research opportunities and her enthusiastic adoption of Open Educational Resources demonstrate her unwavering commitment to making science accessible and engaging for all students. Cecilia holds graduate degrees in Veterinary Medicine/Animal Husbandry, Epidemiology and Life Science from the University of Baja California Mexico and Maryland State University.
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy ODQ3NA==