Contact: Ann Hatch
214-378-1819;
ahatch@dcccd.edu
DCCCD Staffs Receive National Award for Website Design
For immediate release — Oct. 15, 2012
Newsbrief
(DALLAS) — Members of the Dallas County Community College District’s Internet publishing team and staff members in information technology have received the 2012 Education Standard of Excellence Award from the Web Marketing Association for DCCCD’s districtwide website. The WebAward Competition is the top award recognition program for Web developers and marketers worldwide.
Team project members who are receiving the honor include: Colleen Lin, project designer, who formerly was part of DCCCD’s Internet publishing team and currently owns SandShop Media, based in Plano; Travis Haapala, programmer/analyst; Jonathan Blundell, senior rich media developer/producer; April Ellis, senior Web editor; Dawn Hellmund, programmer/analyst; Joanna Jordan, Web writer/editor; Georgeann Moss, content project manager; Jon Novak, technical project manager; Rick Rosen, senior Web editor; and Justin Lonon, vice chancellor for public and governmental affairs, who served as the project’s executive sponsor.
Since 1997, the Web Marketing Association’s annual WebAward competition has set the standard of excellence used for website development. Independent judges from around the world review sites in 96 industries, and those experts determine the best sites, which then are recognized with a WebAward. WMA received more than 2,000 entries from 42 countries this year. In addition to the Standard of Excellence Award, which is given to those sites like DCCCD’s that score higher than the industry average, WMA also awards Best of Show and Top Agency awards to multiple recipients. The awards help interactive media professionals promote themselves, their companies and their best work to the outside world.
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David Robinson
DCCCD Outreach Coordinator Honored by Alma Mater
For immediate release — Oct. 15, 2012
Newsbrief
(DALLAS) — David Robinson, outreach coordinator in the Dallas County Community College District’s office of public and governmental affairs, was selected to receive the Young Alumni Achievement Award for 2012-2013 from his alma mater, Jackson State University in Jackson, Miss., and the Jackson State University National Alumni Association. The award, which was created in 2011, honors established and future leaders among JSU young alumni (those who have been graduates for 15 years or less).
Recipients are recognized in one or more areas: demonstrated leadership capability; substantial indication of a commitment to the service of others; demonstration of potential for leadership/distinction over the long term; and substantial commitment to Jackson State University and its mission. Robinson received his award during the JSUNAA Black-Tie Scholarship Gala in Jackson. The theme for the evening’s festivities was “Raising the Bar of Excellence Through Scholarship and Service.”
Robinson coordinates a number of outreach activities for DCCCD; one of the most popular is the district’s “Aiming for the Stars” Academic Bowl. The event, which is the area’s “Super Bowl” of brainy competition, seeks to address the achievement gaps and academic and social pitfalls facing African-American males, especially young men in grades 4 through 7. The next bowl, sponsored by DCCCD, will be held on Saturday, Jan. 26, at the University of North Texas at Dallas.
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Ed DesPlas
DCCCD Administrator Takes Charge of National Business Officers Organization
For immediate release — Oct. 18, 2012
Newsbrief
(DALLAS) — Ed DesPlas, executive vice chancellor of business affairs for the Dallas County Community College District, has been elected to serve as president of the Community College Business Officers association; he began his term of office on Oct. 1, 2012. Based in Charlottesville, Va., CCBO serves current and future business officers at the nation’s two-year institutions.
“Edward DesPlas is an extremely talented and experienced business officer,” said Ron Campbell, CCBO’s executive director. “CCBO is fortunate to have someone of his caliber to fill that position. His expertise will ensure that our organization continues to build on the solid foundation that Sandra Marek and our other past presidents have built.”
“It is a privilege to be the point person for CCBO’s board of distinguished business officers. I am pleased to serve the CCBO membership as they serve our community colleges,” said DesPlas, who has been employed by DCCCD for 14 years. “CCBO is a vibrant organization that is experiencing growth in membership, conference attendance and business partner support. Together, we have the talent needed to better respond to the rapidly changing climate in which our colleges operate.”
DesPlas previously served in senior leadership positions at Western Nebraska Community College and Eastfield College (in Mesquite). He has been a member of CCBO for more than 10 years, and he has served in multiple positions on the board of directors; he also coordinated the 2012 CCBO annual conference held in Orlando, Fla., this month.
CCBO is a nonprofit higher education association committed to providing educational and professional support, networking opportunities and other resources to help current and future business officers and other professionals better prepare for successful roles in the business, administrative and service enterprises of community colleges and community college system offices in the United States and Canada. For details, visit
www.ccbo.org.
DCCCD is among the largest undergraduate institutions in Texas, serving more than 83,000 credit and 25,000 continuing education students during the regular academic year. DCCCD has an annual budget of more than $500 million and employs more than 7,000 faculty, staff and administrators.
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