Mike “Beetle” Bailey is fiscal officer and administration assistant who is a recipient of the 2013 National Institute for Staff and Organization Development Excellence Award. Bailey and instructor Gary Damron were both selected by NISOD to receive the award. “I’m just tickled that they would select me for such an award,” Bailey said. Bailey has been at Seward County Community College/Area Technical School for nine years.

NISOD is a group of more than 700 community colleges and universities world wide, and recognizes a select few every year for its awards.

“It was surprising to find out that I had won they typically pick administrators or instructors for the award,” Bailey said. Bailey and Damron will travel to Austin, Texas, in late May to a convention to receive the award. Gary Damron, a Social Science instructor at Seward County Community College/ Area Technical School, was recently selected to receive the 2013 National Institute for Staff and Organization Development Excellence Award along with fellow SCCC/ATS colleague Mike Bailey.

“I was surprised when I found out I won the award; I didn’t even know I had been nominated,” Damron said. Candidates are nominated by peers and then reviewed by the Dean of Academic Affairs, Cynthia Rapp, before being sent to NISOD. Only faculty, staff, and administrators at community colleges are eligible for the Excellence Award.

“It’s nice to get recognized, especially with so many people doing excellent jobs here,” Damron said. Damron was also awarded 2 years ago with a student nominated Teacher of the Year award. Damron is looking forward to attending the NISOD convention in Austin, Texas with Bailey later this year to receive the award, but also for the experience. “It’s a very nice award, but what you learn at the conference makes it even better.”