Westwood College Faculty and Staff Recognized by CACCS

Four faculty and staff members of Westwood’s Denver campuses honored by the Colorado Association of Career Colleges and Schools

DENVER--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Four members of the Denver-area Westwood College faculty and staff were recognized by the Colorado Association of Career Colleges and Schools (CACCS) during its 2012 Faculty and Staff of the Year awards ceremony, held on Oct. 12.

“Our faculty and staff are so passionate and committed to ensuring the success of our students”

Two faculty members were honored during the awards ceremony: Ron Hanna, adjunct instructor in the Criminal Justice program at Westwood’s Denver South campus, and Lisa Hopsicker, adjunct instructor in the Education program at the Denver North campus.

Hanna, who has been teaching at Westwood since 2007, was nominated for the award because of his commitment to his students and his practice of putting the needs of his students above all else. Hanna has been known to host make-up classes for students on his personal time, or spend additional time with students outside of class to make sure they understand the course material. In addition, his approach to teaching the material blends new trends with his personal experience as a police officer.

Hopsicker was nominated for her positive approach to instruction and her ability to engage students in the subject matter she is teaching. She challenges her students to think differently about the subject matter, and creates thought-provoking activities that help students retain information. Hopsicker champions her students by helping them prepare for interviews, writing letters of recommendation or connecting them with intern/volunteer opportunities to further their experience.

In addition to the faculty awards, two Westwood staff members were honored: Vivian Jeffcoat, program chair of the Business program at Denver North, and Tabitha Rowland, student support representative from the Denver South campus.

In her role as program chair, Jeffcoat oversees the campus’ Future Business Leaders of America chapter and serves as a mentor and role model for both students and faculty in her department. She coordinates community outreach programs and fundraisers, and has led the FBLA chapter to a positive showing at the local and national levels during 2012.

As a student support representative, Rowland is generally the first point of contact for new students starting out at Westwood’s Denver South campus, and was nominated for her tenacity and commitment to ensuring students are set up for success. Students see her as their “go-to” person and she often goes out of her way to help them find the resources they need – academically and otherwise.

“Our faculty and staff are so passionate and committed to ensuring the success of our students,” said Daniel Snyder, Campus President, Westwood College Denver Market. “All four of these individuals consistently go above and beyond in their roles, and we are proud to have them recognized by CACCS.”

About Westwood College

Westwood College is an institution of higher learning with 14 campuses located in California, Colorado, Georgia, Illinois and Virginia. Westwood offers a hands-on, career-focused curriculum in fields such as healthcare, technology and business. Westwood is nationally accredited by the Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and Schools (ACICS). A 2012 survey conducted by Noel-Levitz showed Westwood students are significantly more satisfied than the comparison group of approximately 125 public and private colleges, particularly in the areas of course content, quality of instruction and the school meeting their career goals. For more information, visit http://www.westwood.edu.