Newly Tenured Faculty

On Wednesday, March 10, the Clover Park Board of Trustees used the authority vested in it to grant tenure to eight faculty members, the largest group to ever be tenured via Zoom.

“Tenure is the culmination of years of hard work and growth,” said Dr. Thomas Broxson, Vice President for Instruction. “The lengthy, rigorous process provides the tenure candidate with constructive feedback and suggestions for improvement, and then evaluates the candidate’s progress. It is designed to provide the support, guidance, and feedback necessary for each faculty member to reach their fullest potential as an educator.”

The granting of tenure represents a prediction by Board of Trustees that each instructor will continue to make substantial contributions to student success, the profession of teaching and learning, and to Clover Park Technical College.

Below are excerpts from the tenure application packets of each faculty member. The full packets can be found and read on the CPTC Trustees webpage.

Carine DeLeon, Cosmetology
“One of the many success stories I share with students is about my own daughter, a professional make-up artist. Her work has opened doors to amazing opportunities, leading her to work with celebrities on movie sets, music videos, and photoshoots, including working and traveling with Beyonce.”

Derek Foust, Environmental Sciences and Technology Program
“I was born and raised in Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania, a region known as much for places to commune with nature as for abandoned and active mines and agricultural land uses. The history of coal mining, along with the legacy of environmental impacts from these mines guided me toward my interests in environmental science and aquatic habitats.”

Kandy Hernandez, Nursing
“I have always loved patient education, from immunizations to teaching patients to give themselves injections, and have worked in home health and wound care. One of my friends suggested I should be teaching and through some circumstances I was led to CPTC.”

Earl Joy, Aviation Maintenance Technician
“Joy helped to create and implement a curriculum for the US Army Aviation Maintenance Warrant Officers that is still in use today. He became a certified Lean Six Sigma Black Belt, Project Manager, and Contracting Officer. He considers his time working with young and eager students as the senior aviation maintenance technician for the US Army Aviation Logistics School to be the most rewarding of his military career.”

Patricia Maguire, Cosmetology
“Many of us can remember that one special person who took the time to invest in us. For me, this person was a hairstylist. We never know just how much a simple word of encouragement or a smile can change someone’s day or life.”

Jason Sawatzki, Mechatronics
“While at Edmonds Community College providing lab management and supervision for the Materials Science Program, Sawatzki learned about a wide variety of manufacturing materials including composites, metallurgy, and polymers. He has used those skills in the classroom as well as to design and construct a teardrop campus using with mahogany, chrome, gadgets, and reclaimed antique hardware.”

Jamie Urquidez, Surgical Technology
“Soon after graduating from CPTC’S Surgical Technology program, I landed my first surg tech job at Swedish Medical Center. After just a year, I was on the Complete General Surgery team, Robotic pediatric surgery team, and one of just four techs on the transplant team. Knowing what a difference CPTC had made in my life made me want to teach and help others.”

Carl Wenngren, Mechatronics
“At CPTC’s Mechatronics program, Wenngren has traded his joy in the challenge of designing and manufacturing products for customers for the joy of training and equipping a new generation of production specialists.”

We are proud of our faculty and congratulate them on their accomplishment of the rank of tenure.