SPC to recognize distinguished alumni
by Courtney Bullard, staff writer
South Plains College will be honoring five distinguished alumni who
began at this college with only their dreams and have turned
them into realities.
The five alumni who will be recognized were chosen by 17
members of a selection committee that included instructional
deans and senior faculty. They received 21 nominations via
forms available on the website and e-mails. The college also
had an article in “Mosaics” Magazine discussing the
nomination process, and forms were mailed to retired
faculty.
“I
appreciate the selection committee,” said Dr. Kelvin Sharp,
president of SPC. “I think these were outstanding choices.”
Those
alumni are Ronald K. Baccus, Dr. Leann Kuenstler Ellis, Dan
M. Harris, Dr. Steven M. Presley, and David Swinford. They
will be honored as part of the colleges 50th
Anniversary celebration during the annual Employee Awards
and Recognition Banquet on May 8.
Baccus is
currently the Orion Crew Module Structures manager for the
National Aeronautics and Space Administration Johnson Space
Center in Houston. He received an Associate of Science
Degree in engineering from SPC. He then went on to earn a
Bachelor of Science Degree and a Master of Science Degree in
mechanical engineering from Texas A&M University.
He oversees
the design, production and testing of the Orion Crew Module
Structure, the new spacecraft under development by NASA to
provide manned access to space after the shuttle is retired
in 2010. It will be capable of lunar missions as well as
space station supply missions. Baccus and his team are
winners of the 2007 NASA Crew Exploration Vehicle Phase 1
Team Award and will be responsible for testing and
evaluating the project throughout all stages of its
development. The first manned flight will be in 2012.
Dr.Ellis is
the vice president of academic affairs at Butler College in
El Dorado, Kansas. She received an Associate of Arts Degree
in speech and drama. She then went on to obtain her Bachelor
of Arts Degree in speech communication at Texas Tech
University, and earned a Master of Arts in speech
communications at Texas Tech. She then received her
doctorate in education in educational administration from
the University of Texas at Austin.
Dr.Ellis
taught for 16 years at SPC. She was a nominee for the
Excellence in Teaching Award in 1988, 1992, and 1994. She
also received the Community College Educator of the Year
Award in 1988 and 1996 from the Texas Speech Communications
Association. In 2006, she was honored by the Texas Speech
Communication Association for her 25-year membership. She
has served as the vice president for academic affairs at
Butler College, where she is also a member of the Executive
Council, the leadership team that handles planning and
budget development and develops college policy and
procedures.
Harris is
the assistant chief patrol agent for the Marfa Section of
the United States Border Patrol in Marfa. He received his
Associate of Arts Degree in law enforcement from SPC. He
then received a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Angelo
State University.
He received
the Border Patrol’s highest award for courage, the Newton-Azark
Award, during a ceremony in 2007 in Washington, D.C. He was
given this award as a result of his actions during a
shooting in East Texas.
After
addressing a group gathered for a law enforcement memorial,
Harris went to assist local officers called to the scene of
a shooting. Two local sheriff’s deputies were shot and
killed and another was wounded. Harris, an emergency medical
technician, crawled to the wounded deputy at the risk of his
own safety, and thanks to Harris that deputy has recovered
and returned to duty. At his current position as the
assistant chief patrol agent for the Marfa section of the
Border Patrol, he is credited with making his largest
seizure. In 2004, he found 2,959 pounds of marijuana with a
street value of nearly $2 million which led to the arrest of
three suspects.
Dr. Presley
is the associate professor and research coordinator for
Texas Tech University Institute of Environmental and Human
Health in Lubbock. He received his Associate of Science
Degree in agriculture from SPC. He received a Bachelor of
Science degree in animal production at Texas Tech University
and his Master of Science Degree in entomology-veterinary at
Oklahoma State University. He later received a doctorate of
philosophy in entomology-medical from Oklahoma State and a
Master of Military Studies from the U.S. Marine Corps
University.
In 2007,
Presley presented a proposal to the United Nations in
Geneva, Switzerland. He held a supervisory role in the $3
billion Kuwait Environmental Recuperation. He is the
recipient of the Rear Admiral Charles S. Stephenson Award
for Excellence in Preventive Medicine for 2000, and renowned
for being on the edge of research and development projects
that keep America from being vulnerable to biological and
chemical threats.
“It warms
my heart,” said Dr. Presley. “I never would have thought I
would be considered for this honor. I’m honored and grateful
to the previous and current faculty at South Plains
College.”
Swinford is
a State Representative for District 87, Dumas. He received
an Associate of Arts Degree from SPC. He received a Bachelor
of Science Degree in agriculture education at Texas Tech,
and he also earned his teacher’s certificate.
Swinford is
a farmer, and he has worked in the grain and feed industry
for almost 40 years. In 1990, he was elected to the Texas
House of Representatives and served as chairman of the
Government Reform Committee at the request of Speaker of the
House Tom Craddick. That committee was charged with making
state government more efficient, save money and end
duplication of services and agencies.
He was also
appointed Chairperson of the House Committee on State
Affairs for both 2005 and 2007. This committee handles
important state wide issues and family value issues.
Although Swinford has been recognized by many groups and
organizations for his accomplishments, he was most recently
awarded the Fighter of Free Enterprise by the Texas
Association of Business in 2007. Swinford has been asked to
deliver a commencement address for the 50th
graduating class.
“This is
just an outstanding group of individuals who started their
college career at South Plains College and went on to their
advance degrees, and now are really involved in their
profession and are making a difference in their profession,”
said Stephen John, president for institutional advancement
at SPC.
