Allan Hancock College bid farewell to 22 retiring faculty and staff, who contributed a combined 429 years of service, during a recognition ceremony last week.
The group included the individuals who led the college’s effort to modernize technology, balance the district’s annual budget and construction of multi-million dollar Bond Measure I projects.
“We moved from long lines of students with paper forms to everything being available online and accessible on mobile devices 24/7,” said Carol Moore, who is retiring after 14 years as the college’s director of information technology services.
“Our online learning system gives instructors and students the opportunity to interact outside the traditional classroom,” she said. “I am proud to have been part of the college leadership that made all of this happen.”
Moore and her husband, who is also retiring from his job, plan to operate a small vineyard in Paso Robles.
Mary Perry knows all about the impact of technological changes on campus. Perry will retire on June 1, after working as a biology professor at the college for 28 years.
“I started with chalkboards and overhead projectors, then came laser and floppy disks and CDs. Pretty soon, PowerPoint became the favored delivery mechanism.”she said. “Then all of a sudden, there was an explosion of digital materials from textbook publishers to YouTube videos.
“Through all of these changes, what has remained constant is the fundamental desire and necessity of our students to learn the material.”
Felix Hernandez, Jr. retired from the college after serving 15 years as the vice president of operations. During his time, he managed the construction of numerous Bond Measure I projects, including the college’s state-of-the-art industrial technology and public safety training complexes.
“My proudest accomplishments were helping secure state funding to construct the library addition, math and science building, community education building and the fine arts complex,” Hernandez Jr. said.
“I’m very honored to have led the effort that resulted in such a positive impact on our students and community for generations to come,” he said.
Sharon Alldredge will retire June 2, after 25 years. As the assessment coordinator, Alldredge administered tests to thousands of students at the college’s testing center.
She credits the warm and caring faculty and staff, described simply as her AHC family, for making the college such an enjoyable place to work.
The college had a big impact on her own family. She met her husband Robert Alldredge in the college library. He retired from the college in 2010 as an electronics instructor.
“The most important memory of my career is meeting my husband, Robert, at a birthday potluck in the library,” said Alldredge.
“Robert and I were married a year later and have been married 44 years. On top of that, both of my children are proud Hancock alumni,” she said.
Linda Metaxas said she will miss imparting knowledge on her students and mentoring them after 19 years as a physics instructor.
During her tenure, Metaxas was instrumental in the development and success of the college’s annual Friday Night Science event and served as chair of the life and physical sciences department.
“What stands out the most to me is what a great place Hancock has been to work,” said Metaxas. “I have always loved the sense of collegiality and mutual respect I get from my fellow faculty, staff and students. I have met some absolutely wonderful and inspiring people.”
Several of the retirees echoed those sentiments.
“I’ll miss the students. After all, they are the reason we are all here,” said Perry. “A close second will be my colleagues, both in the life and physical sciences department and the college as a whole.
“I am fortunate to have worked with dedicated professionals and staff who serve students and the college with honesty and integrity.”
“Whether it’s working with the caring board of trustees, the amazing faculty and staff or our supportive community, the mutual respect and continuous focus to serve our students have brought us all together to accomplish the extraordinary,” said Hernandez, Jr.
The list of retirees also includes:
Deb Annibali, director, law enforcement training, eight years; Bradley Bisquera, audiovisual technician, 23 years; Michael Black, associate superintendent/vice president, finance and administration, 11 years; Daphne Boatright, professor/director registered nursing instructor, 17 years.
Marti Fast, professor/gallery director, 24 years; Karin Kappen, English professor, 35 years; Robert Lennihan, biology professor, 20 years; Kathleen (Lester) Grimm, admissions and records technician, 16 years; Carol Masuda, academic load/scheduling specialist, 25 years.
Michael Messina, noncredit vocational coordinator, 37 years; Carol Moore, director, information technology services, 14 years; David Passage, photography instructor, 10 years; Ginette Pepin, assessment technician, 27 years; Linda Reed, executive secretary, 17 years.
Linda Reeves, office services technician, 20 years; Armida Velasquez, instructor assistant, 21 years; Kathleen Wetter, academic affairs support technician, seven years; Betsy Wilcox, transcript evaluator, 10 years.
The college also honored the following faculty and staff members:
Ashley Brackett, Loren Bradbury, David Hernandez, Susannah Kopecky, Wendy Sutter and Vince Tobin were honored as new tenured faculty. Shelly Allen, budget analyst, received the inaugural Supervisory/Confidential Achievement Award.
A team of nearly 30 employees who spent the last year implementing a new campus-wide technology platform, known as Banner, worked on the college’s Project of the Year.
— Gina Herlihy for Allan Hancock College.