Cuesta is losing many semesters of invaluable teaching
skill, passion, experience and spirit in the form of 10 retirees this year. The
following individuals will be irreplaceable for students and staff.
Joe Brundage
is the last “original” full-time faculty member at Cuesta, starting
in September 1965 teaching Introductory Chemistry. In March 1968 he was granted
tenure. In 1980, Joe completed a course program in Microcomputers in the
Undergraduate Chemistry Curriculum. In 1988, he was awarded the Outstanding
Academic Employee of the Year. In 1996, he was nominated for the Chemical
Manufacturers Association Catalyst Award, and shared the Teaching Excellence
Award with Bob Pelfrey that same year. He has served as Division Chair for
Physical Sciences since July 1998.
Nella Girolo received her master’s degree in
music at Drake University in 1964. She began her career at Cuesta in 1972 as a
part-time music instructor. In 1975 she became a permanent full-time faculty
member of the District, and was appointed Director of Chorus in July 1978. In
1997 she became the Division Chair for Performing Arts and has remained in that
position since. She was awarded the Outstanding Academic Employee Award for the
1996-1997 year.
Dick Hitchman received his master’s degree in
history from the University of California, Santa Barbara in 1965. Dick started
his career with Cuesta in 1966 and was granted full-time status in March of
1967. He served as President of the Faculty Association in 1971-1972. In August
of 1984, he requested and was granted a teacher exchange at the University of
Guam Station in Mangila. Dick served as the Academic Senate President and was
chair of the Curriculum Committee. He was awarded the 1997-1998 Teaching
Excellence Award and the 2000-2001 Outstanding Academic Employee Award.
Bob Pelfrey received his master of art degree in
1968 through California State College, Los Angeles. He started his career at
Cuesta College as a full-time substitute instructor in July 1972 and was
appointed to full-time instructor in July 1978. He served as Academic Senate
President in 1992 and has been very active in campus politics. In 1997 he
became the Division Chair for the Fine Arts Department. Pelfrey has authored a
textbook, “Art and Mass Media,” which is used at many institutions
nationwide.
Judy
Hendricks received her
master’s degree in marriage, family and child counseling at California
Family Study Center, Azusa Pacific College in 1978. She started at Cuesta as a
part-time instructor in the Human Development Department during the fall 1975
semester, teaching Introduction to Child Growth and Development as well as
Human Sexuality. In August of 1987 she became a full-time faculty member. She
was the recipient of the 1998-99 Teaching Excellence Award.
Classified
Emeritus
Pam Hunsaker started her career at Cuesta College in April 1977 and has been an
Account Clerk I and II, and currently is an Accounting Technician I in Fiscal
Services. She was awarded the Outstanding Classified Employee in 1996-1997. Pam
has served as the Classified Union President, and has given Cuesta the
reputation of always paying District bills on time. Her customer service skills
and dealing with vendors has also given Cuesta a stellar reputation throughout
the Central Coast. Pam's "hands on" approach in dealing with her
fellow faculty and staff members also gives her the reputation of getting the
job done with efficiency.
Additional
Retirees
Mary
Carpenter started at
Cuesta in November 1992 as a short-term classified employee. She worked for
Physical Plant as a Clerical Assistant II and transferred to the Computer
Services Department in 1993. Later that year, Mary was hired as the first permanent
Technology Trainer/User Support for Computer Services. Mary has helped
shepherd new technology into the mainstream of campus life. Her enthusiasm for
technology and what it can do rubs off on those she helps.
Wilmar
“Bill” Bower
was hired as an Instructional Lab Assistant in March of 1995 after retiring from a
34-year career in the space program at Vandenberg Air Force Base.
Bower has been
described as dedicated, talented and self-motivated. He has gone above and
beyond the call of duty to be supportive of Cuesta’s Electronics Program,
his colleagues and the students.
Tonga
Phan-McGill started at
Cuesta in September of 1983 in the Language Lab, and in 1997 was hired as a
permanent Language Lab Assistant. Throughout the past 20 years, she has shown a
tremendous amount of tenacity. She started her job knowing three languages:
French, Vietnamese and English. She took more classes and learned Spanish and
German. Tonga received her A.A. Degree from Cuesta in 1980. Tonga’s
language abilities, intelligence and adaptability have made her the perfect
person for the language lab assistant position. What makes Tonga special
however, is her willingness to work hard, never miss a day on the job and be
willing to work with numerous instructors who have different cultural and
linguistic idiosyncrasies. Besides the language instructors, the students will
miss Tonga dearly. Everyone will miss her warm smile, patience, and
encouragement.
Gail Steele started at Cuesta in 1987 as a Student Helper in the Disabled Student
Programs and Services (DSPS) department. She became an Instructional Lab Aide
in 1990 while still serving as a short-term classified employee. Gail was
appointed to a permanent position as a DSPS Instructional Associate in 1996.
She has been instrumental in supporting the Phonic Foundations for Reading and
Spelling classes by providing one-on-one training for students in the class.
Gail has supported the learning disability specialists and testing program by
administering and scoring group and individual tests, organizing files and
researching topics of concern and interest. She has been a valued DSPS team
member for the past eight years.