We want to thank Jennifer Lane, CTLE Faculty Director; Beth Eyres, eCourse Faculty Lead; and Chris Nielson, Faculty Developer, for their service as they leave these roles at the end of this semester. Each of these individuals questioned their decision-making when they ended up in these critical roles during a worldwide pandemic, but we are glad they were around to help us make it through 2020. While it may be hard to remember a world before March 2020, they were doing fantastic work many semesters before the pandemic started. While it would take a short novel to outline all of their contributions, read some of the highlights below.

Jennifer has served in the role of CTLE Faculty Director since 2018. Under Jennifer’s leadership, the CTLE designed and started the Reimagine Program, successfully becoming our HLC Quality Initiative. Jennifer worked tirelessly from the start of the pandemic to help the CTLE support GCC faculty and staff transition to remote work and learning, including developing and running the Design Challenge. Thanks to Jennifer, GCC also offers diversity, equity, and inclusion training on the Peralta rubric.

Beth has served in the role of eCourse Faculty Lead since 2017. Before the pandemic, Beth helped the eCourse Committee to tackle small and large projects that improved faculty professional development, eCourse quality, and student learning. When the pandemic started, Beth guided this fantastic group of faculty to support their departments and individual faculty as they transitioned online. Under Beth’s tenure, faculty training numbers significantly increased, the eCourse Student Orientation was revised, Saturday testing hours for eCourse students were launched, and 28 courses have been Peer Quality reviewed.

Chris has served in the role of co-Faculty Developer since 2014. Chris updated and re-energized GCC’s FYRE program for more than six years, helping more than 84 new faculty through training, mentoring, and building a strong community. Chris developed a cohesive program that created a network of support around probationary faculty as they navigated the PAR process. Chris also helped plan district-wide events and support GCC in the transition to online and remote learning.

It is a challenge for the CTLE to thank Jennifer, Beth, and Chris adequately. If you know any of them, you know they are brilliant, thoughtful, and dedicated colleagues. GCC is a better place because of their service, and we are so lucky and grateful to have worked with them, especially through the unbelievable challenges of the last year. If you have benefited from the work of these amazing individuals, please send them a quick note of thanks, helping us let them know the difference they have made to GCC.