OCTC NEW HORIZONS AWARDS

Owensboro Community amp; Technical Colleges (OCTC) honors three employees, one each having faculty, staff, and exempt staff status, annually, through the selection of the New Horizons Awards. Those selections are sent to the Kentucky Community amp; Technical College System and all are honored collectively, with an overall winner being named in each of the three categories. The winners from OCTC were Angela Ash, Sheri Plain and Angela Smith.

Angela Ash is a history faculty member, serves as Chair of the College Assembly, the colleges governing body, and is Chair of the Heritage Curriculum Committee for the Kentucky Community amp; Technical College System. Last year she was nominated by a student, as a Teacher Who Made A Difference. Ash served as co-chair of the 2014-15 Quality Enhancement Plan Research Team, as the faculty advisor for the Hager Civic Engagement Scholars Program, and is Secretary of the Owensboro World Affairs Council. Ash also volunteers in the START Center and TRAC Central as an advisor.

Sheri Plain is the Director of Special Projects for the Workforce Solutions division of OCTC. Currently, she is managing the colleges National Science Foundation-funded Manufacturing Jobs to Careers initiative with national partners Jobs for the Future and WGBH Educational Foundation. Plain works on several projects and serves on numerous internal committees at OCTC that focus on student success, whether the students are traditional students, or industry sponsored employees upgrading their skills for career advancement.

Angela Smith is a Library Specialist at the Downtown Campus and handles responsibilities for the campus print shop. In addition to providing excellent service and resources to faculty, staff and students she has served as the site coordinator for the free income tax preparation through the Green River Asset Building Coalition for ten years. Smith is responsible for training and certifying the other volunteers and schedules the volunteers in addition to serving as a volunteer herself. The OCTC Downtown Campus site is the highest volume location is the region serving more than 1,300 citizens annually with this free service.

OCTC is grateful for their commitment and community service. These recipients exemplify the characteristics of servant leaders and serve as role models for our students through their dedication and professionalism