press release:
Staff members of South Seattle Community College have recently been honored with awards recognizing their contributions to the college and local organizations.

Irina Minasova was honored with the inaugural South Seattle Community College Outstanding Alumni Award. She was presented with the award at all-campus convocation held prior to the beginning of the academic year. Irina, who immigrated to Seattle from Armenia in 1993, has been employed at South for 16 years and is the college’s director of Business Operations and IT Services.

She started at South as an ESL student and then, while working full-time at the college and raising two children, she earned an associate of applied science (AAS) degree in Accounting and an associate of arts (AA) degree. She has since earned a BA in Business Administration from Central Washington University/Des Moines, and will soon begin their MBA program.

Director of Worker Retraining Keith Marler was honored as Seattle Jobs Initiative’s (SJI) 2011 Champion of the Year. The award is given to an individual or organization that has “gone to bat” for SJI and has demonstrated strong support for its programs. Keith was honored at the SJI Partner Appreciation event earlier this year.

Environmental Health and Safety Specialist Christa Colouzis was honored at the fifth annual Dream Big dinner hosted by Washington Women in Trades. Christa received the 2011 Jobsite Shero Award, one of the Tradeswomen Awards bestowed on women who educate and facilitate access for women in the skilled trades.

“We are so very pleased Irina, Keith, and Christa have been recognized for their sustained commitment to our college, and for their service to the community,” said President Gary Oertli. “They truly represent the best of South and we congratulate them on their achievements.”