PRESS RELEASE: NISOD’s 2024 Conference Celebrates and Inspires Community and Technical College Educators

For Immediate Release

NISOD’s 2024 Conference Celebrates and Inspires Community and Technical College Educators

Austin, Texas—June 4, 2024— Over Memorial Day weekend, May 25-28, the National Institute for Staff and Organizational Development (NISOD) welcomed more than 700 community and technical college teachers, administrators, staff, and their family members to Austin, Texas, for the 46th International Conference on Teaching and Leadership Excellence.

NISOD’s conference offered 200-plus educational presentations—including preconference seminars, general sessions, breakout sessions, and roundtable discussions—with topics ranging from creating a classroom culture and reengaging disengaged learners, to erasing barriers to student success. Through these informative sessions, conference participants engaged with colleagues to discuss nearly every aspect of teaching and learning excellence.

“Our annual in-person conference continues to inspire and empower faculty, staff and administrators at community and technical colleges,” said Edward Leach, NISOD’s executive director. “I’m so proud of everything our staff and partners accomplished to make the conference a success! The event was full of energy, and our attendees were engaged in high-quality professional development and celebration.”

Additionally, National University sponsored an invitation-only, day-long Administrator Series at the conference for upper-level community and technical college administrators. Presidents, chancellors, and other executive leaders shared their experiences and ideas for driving innovation through continuous improvement and exploring what new possibilities for community and technical colleges could look like.

Excellence Awards
The 2024 conference also marked the 33rd year of NISOD’s prestigious Excellence Awards, which honor faculty, administrators, and staff for the extraordinary work they do every day on their respective campuses. This year, 191 member colleges submitted the names of more than 1,100 awardees.

On Sunday, May 26, NISOD recognized the 2024 recipients in attendance at the Excellence Awards Dinner and Celebration. Award recipients were joined by former Excellence Awards recipients, their colleagues, families, and friends. “NISOD is proud to continue our long history of recognizing the outstanding work of community and technical college educators at our member colleges, especially on this 31st anniversary year of the Excellence Awards,” said Leach. “We are honored to be able to showcase outstanding colleagues for their good works during our annual celebration of Excellence Award recipients.” To date, more than 35,000 recipients have been honored with the prestigious award.

Student Essay Contest Winners
During the Sunday evening Excellence Awards Dinner and Celebration, NISOD showcased the 2024 winners of the Scott Wright Student Essay Contest. Chosen from over 100 outstanding entries, the three winning students wrote about a faculty member, staff member, or administrator who helped them achieve their educational goals. The 2024 student winners and the person who inspired them are:

  • Mickyzjha Moore, student, and Lynda Altman, Instructor, Early Childhood Education, Aiken Technical College
  • Shalae Morgan, student, and Marquita Pruitt, Instructor, Cosmetology, Drake State Community & Technical College
  • Kathryn Shofstahl, student, and Michael Bryant, Program Head/Assistant Professor, Welding, Mountain Gateway Community College

Student Graphic Design Contest Winner
During Monday’s General Session Luncheon, the 2024 winner of NISOD’s Student Graphic Design Contest, Dashawn Rustin, a student at the College of Southern Maryland, was recognized for her winning design. Rustin received $1,000 and five poster-size copies of her work. Rustin’s design will also be featured as the front cover of NISOD’s 2025 International Conference on Teaching and Leadership Excellence conference program.

Most Promising Places to Work In Community Colleges Awards
During Tuesday’s Closing General Session, NISOD and Diverse: Issues in Higher Education bestowed the 2024 Most Promising Places to Work in Community Colleges (MPPWCC) awards, which recognize community and technical colleges with an exceptional commitment to diversity. The 2024 MPPWCC awardees (in alphabetical order) are:

  • Arapahoe Community College
  • Bergen Community College
  • Chemeketa Community College
  • College of the Mainland
  • Florida State College at Jacksonville
  • Garden City Community College
  • GateWay Community College (Arizona)
  • HACC, Central Pennsylvania’s Community College
  • Hudson County Community College
  • Malcolm X College
  • McLennan Community College
  • Montgomery County Community College
  • Northeast Lakeview College
  • Olive-Harvey College
  • Palo Alto College
  • Prince George’s Community College
  • San Antonio College
  • St. Philip’s College

Each college received an engraved acrylic award and a specially-designed logo that can be used to promote their institution’s commitment to diversity in the workplace.

Keynote Speakers
NISOD’s 2024 Conference keynote speakers offered new perspectives on the business of education through thought-provoking addresses, much to overwhelming audience acclaim. Dr. Falecia D. Williams, President, Prince George’s Community College, and the recipient of NISOD’s 2024 John E. Roueche International Leadership Award, inspired attendees to dare to be extraordinary in their work and to set big goals for student success outcomes.

On Tuesday, Dr. Gerald Jones, Principal and Founder of GET FIT Consulting, Inc., and the recipient of NISOD’s 2024 Suanne Davis Roueche International Leadership Award, emphasized the importance of hope to address current challenges in higher education, urging educators to renew their commitment to their institutions and students.

NISOD’s 47th International Conference on Teaching and Leadership Excellence will be held May 24-27, 2025, at the JW Marriott Austin. Save the date! In addition, presentation proposals are now being accepted for NISOD’s 2024 Fall Annual Virtual Conference, being held October 16-18, 2024.

About NISOD

The National Institute for Staff and Organizational Development (NISOD) is a membership organization committed to promoting and celebrating excellence in teaching, learning, and leadership at community and technical colleges. For community and technical colleges that want to make the most of their professional development dollars, NISOD provides budget-friendly, high-quality, and faculty-focused programs and resources. For more than 40 years, NISOD’s customer-focused approach has helped align our wide array of benefits with the needs of our members, which explains why the American Association of Community Colleges named NISOD, “The country’s leading provider of professional development for community college faculty, staff, and administrators.” For more information about NISOD, visit nisod.org.

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If you would like more information about this topic, please contact the NISOD team at membership@nisod.org.