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Enhancing the Student Experience, One Innovation at a Time


Trident Technical College announced the 2019-20 SKIP Award recipients at the college’s annual faculty and staff meeting, held virtually for the first time due to social distancing restrictions as a result of COVID-19.

The SKIPs were created by former Trident Tech vice president and former TTC Foundation Trustee, Skip Godow, to identify and reward employees who are setting an example of innovation at TTC. "Good is the enemy of great," Godow said. “We should always be striving for great. That takes creativity, imagination and innovation.”

The nominations exemplify innovation that significantly enhances the student experience, improves an administrative process or puts TTC on the cutting edge. Awards were given in each of two categories, non-instructional and instructional.

The Phi Theta Kappa Advisory team of Carmela Gordon, Daryl Milligan, Brenda Oxford, Mozell Rollerson and Chris Solomon won the non-instructional award for the PTK Grocery Vault. 

In 2019, this team decided to elevate the food pantry to better serve the college. Team members identified additional needs and researched ways to provide healthier food options. They transformed the food pantry into a wellness pantry, expanded service options and created a facility where students can be prepared to succeed. As a result, they were able to serve 111 households and distributed more than 15,000 pounds of food, including 40% more fresh produce and meats.

Pharmacy Technician program coordinator Janell Geddis’s restructuring of the Pharmacy Tech program earned her the SKIP Award for the instructional category. 

Recognizing the program needed an overhaul, Geddis created an innovative academic and continuing education hybrid program that would meet the needs of today’s students and employers. Working collaboratively with Continuing Education, she developed a Pharmacy Technician certificate program with evening hours to accommodate students who had employers willing to subsidize training as well as those who already had bachelor’s degrees and only needed technical training.

The new program was very successful and led her to revise the academic program to mirror the shorter-term, working-adult-friendly format. The academic option would allow students who needed federal financial aid or scholarships to attend. Working closely with industry partners, she ensured students would leave the program with the skills employers needed.

SKIP is an acronym for Strategy + Knowledge = Innovation Prize. The TTC Foundation awarded winners, who were selected by a committee of innovative leaders in the community, a hand-sculpted trophy and $1,000.

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