Five employees received annual awards in three categories at Clark College’s 2021 Opening Day event, held virtually on September 13.

Awards announced included:

• Exceptional Administrative Exempt Award
• Exceptional Classified Staff Award
• Lora Whitfield Social Equity Award

Additionally, the Exceptional Faculty Awards, which were announced during Commencement, were recognized a second time. Employees were also recognized for their years of service, with one employee, David Sims of IT Services, honored for 40 years of service to the college.

Exceptional Administrative Exempt Award

Mike See, Director of Safety and Security

Mike See joined Clark College in November 2016 as its emergency manager. He was named Interim Director of Safety and Security in September 2017 and was named permanently to the position in December of that year. A retired captain with the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department, See brings to Clark College extensive experience in law enforcement, institutional safety, and emergency management.

See’s nominators said, “His approach helps to build bridges around campus, and helps to break down silos. It makes people feel like their work and department matter to more than just their little piece of the pie. That helps to breed pride in work and helps people to take ownership of their work product. 

“Mike is open to doing whatever he needs to do to make the college work better. I have rarely met an employee at any level of the college in my 24 years who is more dedicated to making this a better place to be for students, faculty, staff, and visitors.”  

Congratulations to all the other nominees for the 2021 Exceptional Administrative Exempt Award:

• Wendé Fisher, Advising 
• Renee Schiffhauer, Advising 
• Brenda Walstead, Dean of Business and Health Sciences  
• Nicole Rogers Marcum, Office of Instruction 
• Julie Robertson, Grant Development  
• Abby Thompson, Enrollment Services 
• Cindi Olson, Student Affairs 
• Jennifer Lea, Business Division 
• Katlyn Viers, Advising 
• Angela Ford, IT Services  

Exceptional Classified Staff Award

Jordan De Van, Program Specialist, Enrollment Services

Jordan De Van is a Program Specialist in Enrollment Services. Comments from her nomination include: 

• “Jordan has one of the strongest senses of customer service and how it should be demonstrated. She not only responds quickly to inquiries from students and other departments, she responds happily despite her busy workload.”  
• “Jordan is always helpful and understanding when assisting others outside of her department. Instead of rushing through issues that arise with tracking student grades in the database system, she takes the time to investigate, and assists instructors to better prepare them if the issue were to arise again in the future.” 
• “Jordan’s knowledge, expertise and sense of humor always makes working with her a pleasure.” 
• “She assists each individual in a way that they can understand the steps of the process and provides them with direction that helps them along further in the process—all with a smile on her face.” 

Damon Grady, Campus Security Sergeant, Security and Safety Services

Damon Grady has been with Clark College’s Security and Safety Department since 1997. He served as a Campus Security Officer for 20 years before being promoted to the sergeant’s rank in January of 2018. Comments about Grady include: 

• “He frequently takes after-hours calls and adjusts his shifts so that his people get the support they need. Managing the schedule for 17 people, half of whom are part-time, to provide 24-hour coverage is a difficult and complicated endeavor.”  
• “Damon has gone beyond his role. When he noticed the decrease in on-campus staff presences, he purposefully expanded his knowledge on all the student-facing services and learned how they work to best support Clark students so he would be prepared to answer students’ questions during the COVID-19 pandemic.”  
• “Damon works closely with his subordinates to ensure they have the training and guidance necessary to be successful in their respective roles.” 
• “Damon responded to a medical call that involved a person with a life-threatening injury. He was quick to respond while properly assessing the situation and keeping those involved safe and calm until EMS arrived.”  

Congratulations to all the other nominees for the 2020-2021 Exceptional Classified Award:

• All Classified Staff 
• Dan Ellertson, Retail Clerk Lead, Bookstore 
• Darci Feider, Program Coordinator, Student Life  
• Jerry Horn, Secretary Senior, WPTE + STEM UNIT 
• Jen King, Program Specialist 2, Financial Aid 
• Christy Lewis, Fiscal Technician 3, Information Accounting Services 
• Malissa Pierce, Program Specialist 2, Transitional Studies Division 
• Tiffany Saari, Secretary Senior, WPTE + STEM UNIT 
• Karina Sanchez, Program Specialist 3, Financial Aid 
• Kayla Escott, Program Manager, Financial Aid 
• Jenny Shadley, Graphic Design Supervisor, Communications & Marketing 
• Everett Yu, Equipment Technician 3, Grounds 

Lora Whitfield Social Equity Award

Hanan Al-Zubaidy, Director of Clark College at Larch

Hanan Al-Zubaidy is Director of Clark College at Larch Corrections Center. A nominator had this to say about her: “In winter of 2021, when COVID ran rampant through Larch Corrections Center, Hanan prioritized accommodating our students through the outbreak, if faculty felt comfortable entering, and worked with Department of Corrections administration to provide learning materials to eager students, rather than making them wait. Students were able to graduate during a month-long lockdown as a direct result of Hanan going above and beyond to manage a student-centered approach in even the most challenging and stressful of circumstances. We have watched Hanan overcome the misogyny, racism and ignorance that exists within the ranks of the DOC, and she rose anyway from graduate student intern, to Reentry Navigator, to Director.” 

Kushlani de Soyza, Professor of Women’s Studies

Kushlani de Soyza joined Clark College as a tenured professor of women’s studies in 2013. A nominator said this about her: “Kushlani is committed to ensuring her students feel safe in class and at Clark in general. For example, as the college periodically suggests changes that will impact instruction–[such as] how, what, and where we teach–Kushlani doesn’t shy away from standing up for her students by emphasizing that their needs are paramount and that changes that impact our ability to serve students from marginalized groups should be made cautiously.” 

Other nominees for the Lora Whitfield Social Equity Award:

• Cath Busha, Dean of Student Engagement
• Connor Cantrell, Amanda Brown and Tasha Robertson, Clark College Libraries Access Services
• Mike Godson, Professor of Automotive Technologies
• Tre Sandlin, Teaching and Learning Center

Learn more about Clark College’s employee awards on our Human Resources web pages.

The amount of vacation leave classified employees are allowed to accumulate is limited. Once a year, on each employee’s anniversary date, Clark College’s computer system checks leave balances and automatically eliminates any hours in excess of 240. For more details refer to your WPEA contract.

The amount of vacation leave that administrative and exempt employees are allowed to accumulate is also limited to 240 hours. Any amount in excess of 240 is removed from the system on October 1 each year.

All employees whose vacation balances (shown on paycheck stubs) exceed, or are approaching, 240 hours, should plan ahead with their supervisors to use excess vacation hours before the cut-off date.

For further information contact Human Resources.