Be sure to congratulate John Velis and Al Laursen when you see them around campus in the next few weeks. They are this year’s nominees for the National Institute for Staff and Organizational Development Teaching Excellence Award and will be recognized at the NISOD annual conference in Austin, Texas this May.

Sue DeCamillis, chair of the Business Academic Area, wrote of John, “The CIT curricula changes regularly and John works well with new and existing faculty and staff to make sure we are providing our students with relevant skills for the workforce. He tactfully makes suggestions for improvement to both processes and curricula. John is highly regarded by the industry and educational professionals he works with. He is respected for his ability to build relationships with his students–and it’s not uncommon to see a line of students at his door. He is a champion for students, always seeking a common ground that leads to their success in and out of the classroom.”

Director of Aviation Alex Bloye wrote in his nomination of Al, “Since the day I met Mr. Laursen, I have always been humbled by his decision to be a student advisor at our small-town community college. Why would a highly ranked officer of the United States Air Force spend his retirement working with students and young pilots and the rollercoaster of successes and failure that they carry with them? Why would a man of this caliber, who could easily find himself in a much more lucrative (and much less stressful) career, not only choose to be an educator but commit himself 110% to our value of keeping learning at the center? My only conclusion is that Al has an honest, unique and truly remarkable commitment to his students and is passionate about fostering their success.”