Clark State Community College has been presented with the 2018 American Association of Community Colleges (AACC) CEO/Board Relationship Award of Excellence. The AACC Excellence Awards recognize exceptional work among the nation’s two-year colleges.
“I am positively thrilled about Clark State winning this prestigious national award,” said Sharon Evans, chair of the Clark State Board of Trustees. “Winning this award is indicative of the relationship between the Board of Trustees and President Blondin. We truly operate as a team to do the best thing for our students; at the core of everything we do is the success of our students. The Clark State Board of Trustees and our president is a group of highly skilled professionals who enjoy what they do and this award recognizes their efforts.”
Each college’s application is reviewed against the criteria for the award and assigned a score for each category. Those colleges with the highest scores moved on to become finalists. A committee of the AACC board of directors selected the winners.
Clark State was nominated for the award by several professional organizations and individuals including Jack Hershey, president and CEO of the Ohio Association of Community Colleges. Hershey said the efforts of the Clark State Board of Trustees in collaboration with Blondin’s leadership have helped enhance student success in Clark State’s service district and across the state.
The AACC reported that the Clark State Board of Trustees demonstrates an unwavering commitment to students and adheres to a strong shared governance model that encourages input from faculty, staff and student leaders. At each board meeting, a student presents his/her success story to ensure that the board is focused on what matters most.
“As president, I am honored to work with a Board of Trustees that places students at the center of everything we do and every decision we make. Receiving this award of excellence from the AACC solidifies our commitment to students,” said Dr. Jo Alice Blondin, president of Clark State. “The Board is the most collaborative entity with whom I have worked in my 25 years in higher education, and they truly understand and embody the ideals of shared governance. Clark State has been a leader in student success initiatives as a result of the Board’s focus on excellence and quality.”
The AACC is the primary advocacy organization for the nation’s community colleges. The association represents nearly 1,200 two-year, associate degree–granting institutions and more than 12 million students. The AACC promotes community colleges through five strategic action areas: recognition and advocacy for community colleges; student access, learning and success; community college leadership development; economic and workforce development; and global and intercultural education.