Two selected for educator and employee of the year

Ted Wolter and Linda Shaw were selected as the Chandler-Gilbert Community College (CGCC) Educator of the Year and CGCC Staff Employee of the Year for the 19th annual Gilbert Community Excellence Awards. The awards will be presented during an awards ceremony on Friday, Nov. 14.

Ted Wolter has been with CGCC for more than 25 years. As the founding art faculty, Wolter shaped the art program from its inception, mentored new art faculty as they joined the college, and shepherded the program through growth and change. His keen insights, skills, opinions and knowledge are sought and trusted. He has provided valuable counsel to three college presidents in a variety of roles with his ability to understand “big picture” and historical issues. Wolter has been regularly recruited for college and district-wide committees such as the CGCC Maricopa Priorities Instructional Task Force, the college’s Comprehensive Facilities Planning Team, the Instructional Computing Committee, and the District-wide Art Instructional Council.

Wolter is a former Communication & Fine Arts Division chair and co-chair of the Chair Council. As a responsive and thoughtful communicator, he serves as a model and mentor to both new and seasoned faculty. He is a thorough and passionate educator whose knowledge of his subject is unsurpassed. He employs an upbeat, friendly demeanor and fosters an open atmosphere in which students learn, grow and develop their skills and understanding of art. If only one word was used to describe Wolter, it would be his ‘gentleness’. His utmost caring is evident to students as he guides them to success through positive reinforcement and positive feedback.

In addition to being a superb educator, Wolter is also a talented working artist in several media (drawing, painting, graphic design and ceramics) who regularly exhibits his work. He organizes CGCC and district-wide student art shows with his colleagues, and maintains the college’s permanent art collection, which he inaugurated. Additionally, Wolter is also counted on to donate his beautiful artwork to college scholarship and charity fund-raising events.

Wolter is an exceptional asset who has made an enormous impact on students, colleagues, the college and the community.

CGCC’s Director of Admissions, Registration and Records Linda Shaw has served the Maricopa County Community College District for more than 24 years, six of them at CGCC. Known for her extensive knowledge and focus on student service, she is a valuable resource who willingly serves on a variety of local and district-wide committees benefitting hundreds of thousands of students. She works endlessly to motivate others and inspires excellence with her passion.

Shaw earns the praise and admiration of everyone with whom she serves. A true servant leader, she consistently goes above and beyond her duties without hesitation. A faculty member noted that, no matter how often he calls Linda during the day, she responds, “How may I help you?” She works hours alongside her staff at the admissions desk as well as many more completing forms and ensuring necessary changes are made to tens of thousands of student records, all on time and without mistakes. She has a reputation for maximizing resources to plan and execute the highest quality training that benefits all enrollment services personnel. An eager collaborator who seeks creative and innovative ways to serve and inform her colleagues, Shaw is also humble, always deflecting praise and positive comments to her staff.

Shaw is deserving of the recognition as employee of the year for her years of dedication to students, the college and the district.