Member Spotlight – Truckee Meadows Community College

Truckee Meadows Community College, NV |www.tmcc.edu| Established 1971 | Cathy Brewster, NISOD Liaison

Member Spotlight Question and Answer 

When did Truckee Meadows Community College become a NISOD Member?
The college became a NISOD member in 2010.

Why is Truckee Meadows Community College a NISOD Member?
NISOD provides high-quality professional development resources that help faculty and staff focus on our mission of promoting student success, academic excellence, and access to lifelong learning. TMCC faculty use NISOD benefits to build on a culture of quality education, which was reflected when TMCC became one of the top 150 institutions eligible to compete for the 2019 Aspen Prize for Community College Excellence.

Which NISOD benefits does Truckee Meadows Community College use the most and how?
TMCC publicizes NISOD’s webinars and other virtual events as part of our extensive professional development offerings for faculty and staff. NISOD Excellence Award recipients, along with the TMCC President and Vice President of Academic Affairs, attend the International Conference on Teaching and Leadership Excellence. The Excellence Award recipients present at the conference showcasing their outstanding work, and all attending learn about promising practices and discuss how to apply them at the college. The college also engages our students in NISOD’s Student Essay Contest and Student Graphic Design Contest.

Interesting News Happening at Truckee Meadows Community College

Undergraduate Research Thrives at TMCC
In October 2019, five TMCC students participated in the NIH IDeA Western Regional Conference, a biennial event that provides opportunities for students and faculty in the sciences to network, share research, and exchange best practices. TMCC student Heather Dorsey-Hirt presented a poster based on work she completed in an internship at the National Institute of Health in Washington D.C. where she tested and researched pathogens for the D68 Enterovirus. When she got home, she received unexpected news: Out of all the regional poster entries, she won first place.

First Cohort of TMCC Faculty Members Completes ACUE Training.
The first cohort of TMCC faculty have received certificates from the Association of College and University Educators (ACUE) Course in Effective Teaching Practices. Last year, 46 faculty across all academic disciplines completed the ACUE Course, resulting in a 100 percent completion rate, which places TMCC’s first ACUE cohort well above the average completion rate nationally.

Apprenticeship Programs to Fill Skilled Jobs Gap
Working with local business partners such as Tesla, Panasonic, and JOIN Inc., Nevada’s Apprenticeship Project continues to expand opportunities for students. Having registered over 50 apprentices to date, Tesla announced its own commitment by sharing a plan to register 50-60 apprentices annually via the partnership. 

Every month, NISOD turns the spotlight on the effective ways member colleges use NISOD benefits. These member colleges exemplify NISOD’s mission of improving teaching, learning, and leadership, with the ultimate goal being to increase student success.