For the first time, Western Nevada College employees enjoyed the open and inviting space of remodeled Carson Nugget Community Hall for the annual Welcome Back Convocation.
After a virtual gathering a year ago, the Welcome Back meeting provided employees with the choice of in-person and Zoom attendance options on Wednesday, Aug. 25. Many opted to turn out in person.
The annual conference provides an opportunity for President Dr. Vincent Solis to welcome campus members to fall semester to honor outstanding employees, recognize college-wide accomplishments, welcome new employees and encourage staff to look ahead to the future so the college can adapt to forthcoming changes and continue serving students successfully.
Much of the convocation is spent honoring employees for their contributions to the college.

Faculty and staff awards were presented to Sylvia Verdugo, Rachel Stiff and Piper McCarthy. In addition, Dr. Elizabeth, Tattersall, the only full-time faculty member on the Douglas campus, was honored in person after receiving the 2020 Faculty Member of the Year Award virtually.
Verdugo, an administrative assistant for the Professional and Applied Technology program, stepped outside her day-to-day duties and assumed a leadership role in helping the college serve Indigenous People. She assisted the college in starting the Indigenous Student Association and is serving as its adviser.
I am very honored and feel very grateful to have been nominated and selected for Classified employee of the Year! said Verdugo, who began working at WNC in March 2019. It means so much to me! I came to work at WNC open and ready for a change after working for the State of Nevada for 13 years and was met with kindness and acceptance. I would like to thank the Classified Council for continuing to uplift our Classified staff with support and also wish to acknowledge my fellow Classified staff with all of your hard work and pride, WNC continues to be the best.
The ISA will promote a sense of community on campus and provide an educational support system to WNCs Native American students through cultural events and coming together to have a presence on campus.
Stiff, a Fine Arts professor, began teaching at WNC in 2018. She teaches painting, drawing and art history classes, as well as coordinates exhibits for the galleries located in the Bristlecone Building. She also has shown her own artwork in the community, focusing on landscapes and the West.
Students often ask about my own art practice, she said. Sharing my work is rewarding and students benefit from this as well. I bring my dedication and knowledge as a visual artist to the classroom. Enthusiasm, commitment and a devotion to life-long learning are all things that I share and encourage in my students.
But what she enjoys most is teaching at WNC.
My job is to create a classroom environment where students are engaged in the quest for meaning through the creative process, Stiff said. Self-discovery is essential to aspiring artists and to students pursuing other avenues of education. The capacity for creativity is present in every person and as an educator it is my responsibility to guide students to this invaluable resource. True curiosity brings knowledge, and I employ two forms of curiosity in the classroom. Throughout the semester my task is getting to know and understand how each student learns. To be truly curious about ones students is to truly care about their development. The second form of curiosity that must be present in the classroom is the curiosity inspired in the student. To do this I establish a foundation but strongly encourage experimentation and careful observation. Providing the opportunity to make mistakes teaches students that taking risks is essential to the creative process and that mistakes lead us to success. Its okay to not be perfect!
McCarthy has been leading Counseling Services since July 2015, dedicating herself to helping students pinpoint a career best suited for them and advising them academically to reach that goal.
I am thankful for this award and recognition, McCarthy said. Its always nice to feel appreciated. I work hard because I care about the students and the people that work here. I have the best, most supportive team to work with. We always pull together to get the job done and are very student focused. Its easy to work hard for people you care about and even more motivating when you know they care about you.
Dr. Tattersall has been teaching biology and chemistry classes at WNC since 2007.
I feel honored to be selected as the outstanding faculty member of the year and was completely surprised by the announcement, Dr. Tattersall said. I love being in the classroom and laboratory with students, and I have actively sought funding opportunities to support WNC students doing research in STEM disciplines. It is wonderful to see the students blossom and flourish when they discover their passion in the learning arena.
Dr. Solis also presented the 2021 Presidents Team Award to employees who continued to work the front lines of the college after COVID-19 sent many to the safety of their homes to work remotely. The award included team members from a variety of departments and the group was nominated by Financial Assistance Director JW Lazzari.