SCCC s Titus, McLemore Earn International Notice

Seward County Community College recently selected faculty members Jamie Titus and Larry McLemore for the NISOD Excellence Awards, which recognize outstanding commitment and contribution to students and colleagues. The two honorees will reap the rewards at the NISOD International Conference on Teaching and Leadership Excellence in May. Pewter medallions and public acclaim are well-deserved, said SCCC Dean of Academics, Dr. Todd Carter.

“Jamie is the consummate community college faculty member,” said Carter. The Medical Laboratory Technology instructor invests deeply in student success through individual tutoring, Carter noted:

“You will find Jamie in the lab, working with students one-on-one, or teaching online, and also participating in important campus decision making groups like the Assessment Committee.”

Larry McLemore, division chair of the Industrial Technology Division, “is a practitioner of appreciative inquiry and whole systems thinking,” Carter said. “He uses these tools to foster and support positive change by helping others recognize and develop the strengths they have as individuals which then contribute to the strengths of the college.”

In alignment with the most innovative national trends, SCCC has expanded its outreach to area high school students, many of whom are able to earn certificates and early college credits through concurrent enrollment. Titus, for instance, teaches a phlebotomy course to high school students.

She even puts her own arm on the line for venipuncture practice, the ultimate proof of commitment.

“Jamie is able to teach high school students how to insert a needle into the vein of a live person. She lets them try it on her,” said Carter. “That is impressive.”

“I am very proud of the work we have been doing with Liberal and Sublette High Schools,” said Titus. “The high school students attend class with me five mornings each week and obtain valuable skills and exposure to phlebotomy, medical laboratory technology, and other allied health careers.”

Students who complete the phlebotomy program will be eligible to take a national phlebotomy certification exam and begin work — and if they’re so inclined, Titus added, they might opt to pursue a medical career in a field other than phlebotomy or medical laboratory technology. After all, their high school experience has provided exposure to the medical field as a whole to allow students to determine what they want to do.

“If they do, we help them with their academic plan to make sure they are taking the appropriate courses to reach their goal,” she said.

In his division, McLemore, too, aims to help students find a seamless transition.

“Larry assists high school students at each stage of their transition to post-secondary programs from career counseling, to tours, enrollment, and follow up,” said Carter. “He provides a case-based approach with dual credit students, collaborating with high school counselors to provide the individualized attention and support students need to be successful while maintaining high expectations.”

McLemore, who describes himself as “a product of career and technical education,” said he aims to help the college itself complete a transition similar to the individual efforts he oversees.

“In my short tenure here at SCCC, I feel we have generated a reenergized dynamic of inclusion and strength for my Industrial division, with much more to come,” he said. “I am humbled to be part of creating an environment of change in the Career and Technical Education of our region. We have a superior team of individuals, students, and community leaders who make each day an amazing experience in building for the future of Kansas and the region.”

Carter agrees.

“Larry has had a vision of moving industrial technology program and course delivery to a collegiate model and has been successful in making that happen,” Carter said. “Using instructors to deliver content common to multiple programs increases efficiency, reduces costs, and ensures continuity in the content and instruction which has a positive impact on student learning and completion.”

Both instructors epitomize the aims of NISOD.

“Recognizing those individuals who have contributed to student success and their colleges’ mission is something we look forward to doing each year,” said Dr. Edward J. Leach, NISOD’s Executive Director. “The extraordinary work of these men and women includes not only what they do for their students and colleagues, but what they do for the communities in which they live and work. We’re honored to be able to play a part in celebrating their achievements.”