ECC wins four major ICCTA awards

The Illinois Community College Trustees Association honored Elgin Community College with four out of eight major awards at a banquet in Springfield on Friday, June 6.

Alejandro Hoyos, outgoing student trustee and chairman of the student advisory committee, received the Gigi Campbell Student Trustee Excellence Award. Through his leadership, valuable perspectives on important student issues, such as access, affordability and academic advising, have been gained.

Alan Ladwig, who graduated from ECC in 1969, was awarded the Distinguished Alumnus Award for his contributions as a senior manager at NASA, commercial aerospace companies, entrepreneurial initiatives, media companies, and nonprofit organizations. Recently retired from NASA, Ladwig currently serves as Chief of To Orbit Productions where he provides consulting services on space policy and creating artwork based on space themes.

Alison Douglas, associate professor of English, earned the Outstanding Full-Time Faculty Award for excellence in teaching and her dedication to students. Douglas studies her students' experience both in and out of the classroom and assesses the sort of impact her teachings will hold on their learning.

ECC was awarded the Equity and Diversity Award due to its commitment to equity, which is woven into every goal, decision, and action. ECC has served as a designated Hispanic-Serving Institution since 2009 and was named a veteran-friendly institution by G.I. Jobs magazine in 2012.

ECC Board Chair Donna Redmer attributes the college's successful pursuit of equity and diversity to the board's collaboration with ECC President David Sam.

"Dr. Sam has helped make our vision a reality, increasing student outcomes, community engagement, and institutional strength. He is a model of service and success, and a champion of community colleges, nationally," Redmer says.

The Illinois Community College Trustees Association has provided legislative advocacy and educational opportunities for college boards since 1970. For more information on ICCTA visit communitycollege.org.