Denver, CO, May 10, 2011 – Alta College, Inc., the parent company of Westwood College and Redstone College, announced today the winners of its annual Excellence in Education Awards. With these awards, three top educators are nationally recognized for their outstanding achievements and dedication to excellence both inside and outside of the classroom.
“The winners of our Excellence in Education Awards embody Alta College’s vision of the ideal educator. Each one of them adds immense value to our organization through contributions specifically to students, their individual campus and the communities in which they live,” said Dr. David Borofsky, Westwood College’s chief academic officer. “This year’s winners are outstanding at their jobs and are well deserving of this honor. We are proud to have them as part of our teaching and leadership team.”
Top honors went to Bret Proud for the President’s Award, Kimberly Penn for the National Faculty of the Year Award, and Jennifer Sharp for the Dean of the Year Award.
The President’s Award recognizes a faculty member who stands out through his or her contributions in teaching, community service and recruitment. Proud, this year’s winner, is a faculty member in the Airframe and Powerplant Program at Redstone College in Broomfield, Colo. Proud began his work with Redstone in October 2008 while also working as an Airframe & Powerplant Technician with XJet. In addition to his teaching schedule, Proud recently led a team of students to victory at a major national aviation maintenance technician skills competition. Proud’s student team competed so well, they won the school category and beat out several teams of employed industry professionals.
“Bret is an incredible instructor and his team building skills are second to none,” said Tim Guerrero, academic dean of Redstone College. “His dedication to his students is seen through the hours he puts into his teaching and preparation as well as the extra effort he gives to anyone or anything requiring it. It is an honor and a privilege to have him as part of the Redstone team.”
The National Faculty of the Year Award winner, Penn, is an Information Technology faculty member at Westwood College’s Houston South campus. The National Faculty of the Year Award recognizes instructors who encourage cooperation and communication among students and honors teaching styles that focus on launching students’ careers. Additional criteria for this award include contributions that improve the student experience, providing support for colleagues and new faculty, promoting campus growth and engaging in professional development activities.
“Kimberly has made a tremendous impact on the quality of education at Westwood’s Houston South campus and serves as an excellent role model for her students,” said Dr. Wendy Johnson, academic dean of the Westwood College Houston South campus. “Beyond excelling in the classroom, she is a tremendous asset to her community and is deeply involved in a number of organizations. She is an inspiration to us all, not just to our students.”
The Dean of the Year Award went to Jennifer Sharp, Chicago DuPage campus academic dean, in recognition of her outstanding achievements in leadership and service.
“Jennifer lives the Westwood mission everyday in her selfless dedication to students and faculty” said Borofsky. “She understands the tremendous impact that faculty have on students and expects excellence for herself and everyone around her. “
About Westwood College
Westwood College is an institution of higher learning with 17 campuses located in California, Colorado, Georgia, Illinois, Texas and Virginia. Westwood offers a hands-on, career-focused curriculum featuring three-year bachelor’s degrees in many in-demand fields. Westwood is accredited by the Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges (ACCSC) and the Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and Schools (ACICS), depending on the campus. For more information, visit /.