GOCC

Glen Oaks Community College Current has announced former students, staff and community members are invited to nominate a full-time faculty member for the E. J. Shaheen Chair for Teaching Excellence award for 2013. The award is presented annually to an outstanding faculty member who exemplifies high professional standards, demonstrates excellence in teaching and whose position as a faculty member reflects …

Glen Oaks Community College recently recognized 21 employees who reached milestone years of employment with the Centreville-area school. Topping the list were James and Anne Cook, each for reaching the 35-year mark of employment. Nursing faculty member Janell Lederman was honored for three decades of employment, while Beverly Andrews, Larry Hass, Lynne Holtz and Barbara Thole were honored for reaching …

A lifelong Sturgis resident, described as a pillar of the community, died last week of cancer. Ray Dresser Jr., 81, was a philanthropist and driving force behind the creation of the Sturgis Area Community Foundation in 1962. His contributions to the city included generous endowments to Sturgis Hospital and Glen Oaks Community College. An attorney, Dresser also served as co-chairman …

Students in Glen Oaks Community College’s Electrical Technologies program are better able to gain hands-on experience with a supply of donated equipment thanks to Armstrong International. Thirteen skids of materials, including pumps, controller motors and parts, were delivered to the college last week. The equipment is the nuts and bolts of what is used in boiler systems, according to Charles …

Union faculty members at Glen Oaks Community College have issued a vote of no confidence in school president Gary Wheeler. The 23-4 vote was taken last week, with four of the college’s 31 union faculty members abstaining. The vote was brought to the attention of Glen Oaks’ board of trustees at its meeting Wednesday. Faculty union president Chad Worthington presented …

Glen Oaks Community College is one of four Kalamazoo-area junior colleges to reach a reverse-transfer agreement with Western Michigan University. Signed earlier this month, the arrangement allows students who obtain credits at Glen Oaks and Western to combine credits from both schools and apply them toward an associate’s degree. In most cases, the agreement will benefit students who attend one …

Glen Oaks Community College will see a trio of new faces on its board, following Tuesday’s vote in the general election. Joni Smith and John Bippus claimed the two, six-year seats to the board. Bud Malinoski came up short in the three-person race. Meanwhile, two candidates were unopposed for a pair of four-year terms. Newcomer Mary Lou Falkenstein will join …

The new dean of finance and administration at Glen Oaks Community College was introduced at Wednesday’s board meeting. Bruce Zakrzewski previously worked in finance and administration positions at Lake Michigan College, and a pair of Indiana-based businesses in the South Bend region before that.

St. Joseph County Clerk Pattie Bender is advising the public that petitions for candidates to area school boards of education, Glen Oaks Community College Board of Trustees and village councils are due by 4 p.m. Aug. 14. All positions will be elected in the Nov. 6 general election. Bender said candidates wishing to run for school board in Burr Oak, …

Glen Oaks Community College has announced the appointment of two new professors. Michelle McNamara, who previously served as an instructor of oral communications, and Sheryl Smithson were hired as professors at the Centreville-area school. McNamara will continue to teach oral communications, while Smithson will serve as professor of microbiology. In addition, a trio of faculty members received tenure after completing …