As its spring 2018 semester got underway, the American Samoa Community College (ASCC) took the opportunity to recognize the many service projects for students and the community that its academic departments engaged in during 2017. The College’s Academic Affairs division hosted a Faculty Awards luncheon to highlight the variety of ways in which the faculty provides enhanced learning opportunities which often go beyond the classroom and frequently include community involvement.

Individual Special Awards for faculty who excelled in Student Centeredness went to Dr. Faofua Faato’afe for her coordination of the student club Business Ambassadors of ASCC (BAOA); Mrs. Elisapeta Faalafi Jones for her advising the ASCC Christian Club; Mr. Kuki Tuiasosopo for advising the Phi Theta Kappa honor society; Mr. Poe Mageo as chairman of the Faculty Senate; Mrs. Regina Meredith-Fitiao for her project with the National Park Service “Perpetuate Samoan Traditions by Teaching Traditional Practices II”; Mr. Derek Helsham for coordinating the Health Service initiative Build to Exito; and to Dr. Randel DeWees as the campus coordinator for the Science initiative Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation.

Additional recipients of the Individual Special Awards included Ms. Lele Ah Mu for her work in Disaster Awareness; Mrs. Ann Longnecker for work in CPR and Standard First Aid; and Mrs. Shirley De La Rosa, Dr. Larry A. Purcell, Mrs. Regina Meredith-Fitiao, and Ms. Monica Afalava for practical skills for faculty.

Awards for Outstanding Student and Community Activities went to 14 of the College’s departments and divisions. The Agriculture, Community, and Natural Resources/Land Grant (ACNR) division (Mr. Pauline McFall, Mr. Ionatana Faasavalu, and Dr. Michael Otto Hansell) was recognized for its involvement in last year’s Science Symposium and other Community Outreach projects. The Fine Arts Department (Mr. Kuki Tuiasosopo, Mrs. Regina Meredith-Fitiao, Mr. Poe Mageo, and Ms. Loretta Pua’auli) were awarded for a number of activities, including their spring 2017 musical production, the Tatau Forum, their Prelude to a Musical, and their involvement in UN International Jazz Day. The Criminal Justice Department (Mrs. Rosie Ah Chee-Toeava and Mr. Utumoe Alefosio) were recognized for their Food Drive,  Can Drive, Halloween Treats, a Keep ASCC Clean project, and, their Legal Aid Presentation.

The Health and Human Services Department (Mr. Derek Helsham) received recognition for a number of activities, including a Drug and Alcohol Rehabilitation Student Awareness Conference, a Food Drive, a Book Drive and a Toy Drive. The Business Department (Dr. Faofua Faato’afe, Mr. Papalauena Ioapo Taua’i, and Mr. Lam Yuen Lam Yuen Jr.) were congratulated for Service to the Community, their activities involving BAOA, a trip to Samoa for students in the Marketing class, and hosting a Parents’ Night. The Langauge and Literature Department (Mrs. Melelina Fiaui, Mr. Vesilu Matuu, Mr. Ben Goodwin, Mrs. Jocelyn Siologa, and Dr. Sybil Barnes Johnson) received commendations for their 2017 Literary Night.

The Samoan Studies Institute (Mr. Evile Feleti, Mrs. Alofa Nuusila, and Mrs. Tasia Talamoni) was credited for its Community Outreach. The Nursing Department was recognized for organizing a Manu’a Outreach involving Nursing students. The Science Department (Dr. Randel de Wees, Mr. Murali Gopalan, Mr. Alden Tagarino, Ms. Meagan Curtis, Ms. Kelly Anderson, and Ms. Ruby Tapuai) was commended for its well-received Science Symposium, as was the Trades & Technical Department (Mr. Fred Suisala, Ms. Valentine Talamoni Mr. Jeriecho Martinez) for its Apprenticeship and Workforce Development Program. The Social Science Department Social Science (Mrs. Lilian Temese, Mrs. Adrian Vasai Moana, Ms. Sheldon Seigafo, Mrs. Tala Ropeti Leo, and Mr. Bryan Jackson) received recognition for its Political Science Students’ Forum with Attorney General Talauega Ale. Additional departments receiving award included Computer Science (Mr. Ernie Seiuli, Mr. Reupena Lesa, and Ms. Juliet Fung Chen Pen); Physical Education (Mr. Ed Imo and Mr. Samoa Sione Samoa Jr.) and Reserve Officers Training Corps (SFC Kitzingen Moliga).  

Three departments received awards for holding Professional Development Workshops in 2017 in addition to outreach and other community activities, and these were English CAPP (Dr. Siamaua Ropeti, Mrs. Elisapeta Faalafi Jones, Mrs. Florangel Calumpang, Mrs. Edna Niedo-Zarraga, Mrs. Lise Sauni-Ale, Mrs. Pepe Lafaele, and Ms. Pio Tavai); Mathematics CAPP (Mr. Tunufa’i Le’iato, Ms. Sinaita’aga J.A Mose-Peni, Mr. Laau S. Liufau, Mr. Marston Porter, Mr. Anthony Felise, Mr. Emau Tofilau, Mrs. Amete Moefiainu, and Ms. Ayva A.I. Mata’utia); and Teacher Education (Dr. Larry A. Purcell, Mr. Tero Talamoa, Mrs. Feleni Alainuuese, Mr. Lance Glodowski, and Mrs. Moressa Langkilde).   

For exemplary performance in organizational areas including the submission of agendas, meeting minutes, student learning outcome data, course schedules and course syllabi, awards certificates were presented to the chairpersons of the English CAPP, Language and Literature, Criminal Justice, and Teacher Education departments, and to the Samoan Studies Institute.

For the final round of awards, the Samoan Studies Institute recognized its chairperson Mr. Evile Feleti for his recruiting efforts both on campus and in the high schools. Also recognized were Mrs. Alofa Nuusila for her commitment to building the present and future Samoan language writers, and Mrs. Tasia Ti’a Talamoni for her customary instruction, in particular, endowing students and TAOA elders with knowledge of traditional weaving, craft making as well as local delicacy preparation. 

“A component of the ASCC Mission is that we contribute to the social, cultural, economic, and environmental well-being of our community,” reflected Dean of Academic Affairs Mrs. Letupu Moananu. “Some examples of us putting this goal into practice are more obvious than others, but in the majority of ASCC activities, you will find some aspect that serves the community as much as it does our students. Our Faculty Awards is our way of recognizing and celebrating these efforts.”  

For more information on ASCC, visit its website at: www.amsamoa.edu.