Leesa Dean, Jane Green, and Tim Thurston were all giving the Standing Committee on Professional Excellence (SCOPE) awards. The Selkirk College Faculty Association gives out the recognition annually.
The award recognizes outstanding instructors who inspire students through work in the classroom, on campus, and in the community.
Along with being a Creative Writer instructor, Leesa Dean also actively publishes award-nominated books. She is also a contributor to the Kootenay Writing and Selkirk College communities.
“She has been an inspiring addition to the college community, and her unfettered love of language and the power of story translates into students finding their own competency in the craft,” said a college nominator.
Jane Green is an instructor in the Education Assistant and Community Support Worker Program. Green supports students in hosting an annual community event focused on reframing disabilities. She also co-created the SPECTRUM: Lifespan Autism Resources and Training course, which addresses the increasing need for awareness and understanding of autism.
“She shares all that she is so that everyone who spends time with her is touched with care and love,” said a colleague nominator. “She does so with passion, enthusiasm, and joy.”
According to the College, Tim Thurston is the more quiet one out of the three but has gathered recognition among staff and students throughout the school.
“Clearly, Tim has earned the respect, if not the reverence, of his peers within the school of Environment & Geomatics at Selkirk College as a recognized master paddler, accomplished mountain man, literal trail builder, figurative trailblazer, committed educator and all-around good person,” said a colleague nominator.
