Simpson University Honors Longtime Employees
For Immediate Release
12.20.2016
REDDING, Calif. - Simpson University honored employees who have been working at the university for five, 10, 15, and 20 years in an on-campus ceremony Dec. 19.
The annual Employee Awards Celebration also included inductions into the Emeriti Society, an invite-only designation started in 1995 to honor retired employees who served at Simpson for at least 10 years.
Emeriti Society honorees included the following:
- Dr. Glee Brooks, dean of the School of Education (24 years)
- Larry Haight, director of Library Services (23 years)
- Lois Nichols, assistant professor of music (22 years)
- Dr. Stanley Clark, provost from 2005-2012
Dr. Clark, who moved to Minnesota after he retired from Simpson, passed away in October. He and his wife, Susan, started The Clark Endowment for Student Research at Simpson to support student scholarly activity.
“His time at Simpson was critical for faculty and students committed to research,” said President Robin Dummer, who worked as associate provost with Dr. Clark for seven years.
Under Dr. Brooks’ leadership at Simpson, more than 2,500 teachers and 300 administrators received training; and the School of Education expanded its programs to multiple Northern California counties and South Korea.
Haight, who holds three master of arts degrees, oversaw the Simpson library’s conversion from Dewey Decimal to Library of Congress classification, as well as the transition from classic card to digital online public-access catalogs. He was an early adopter of emerging digital technologies in the industry, including online journals and cloud computing.
Nichols is a highly accomplished pianist and accompanist who taught a wide range of music courses at Simpson over more than two decades.
During the celebration, comments from many colleagues of the award recipients and Emeriti Society inductees were read aloud, with common themes of hard work, dedication to Simpson, a deep love for Christ, and above-and-beyond investment in the lives of students.
Current employees who were recognized included the following:
- 5 years: Dr. Stephen Bailey, professor of intercultural studies.
- 10 years: Sherri Chairez, credential analyst (School of Education); Dr. Dwayne Corbin, associate professor of instrumental music; and John McCommons, electrical specialist.
- 15 years: Paul Davis, director of Auxiliary Services; Regina Erickson, executive assistant to the president; Dr. Dan Pinkston, professor of theory and composition; Dr. Carol Wertz, associate professor of education; and Sheri Zahner, Admissions Office coordinator.
- 20 years: Harold Lund, registrar and former chair of the Math Department.
Photos by Caity Wilson
###
Simpson University, established in 1921, is a Christian university offering undergraduate, graduate, and teaching credential programs. The university celebrated its 25th year in Redding and the completion of a Science and Nursing Center in 2014. Academic programs include ASPIRE, a degree-completion program geared toward working adults with both on-campus and online course offerings, including degrees in psychology and organizational leadership. For information about the university, or to arrange a campus visit, call 1-888-9-SIMPSON or visit simpsonu.edu.
Contact: SU Public Relations
mediarelations@simpsonu.edu
(530) 226-4737
