This year marked the 11th year of Skyline College’s Skyline Shines Award, presented annually to one College employee or group and one community individual or group who help Skyline College to shine in terms of its quality of programs and services and its reputation for quality.
College Group Winner: Christine Case, Joyce Lee, Paul Spakowski – Phi Theta Kappa, Beta Theta Omicron, BOO
This year’s college award went to the three sponsors for our college chapter of the international honor society for two-year colleges, Beta Theta Omicron – Christine Case, Joyce Lee, and Paul Spakowski. They have ably guided and mentored our students through 15 years of both national and international recognition including having students named to the All-California Academic Team almost every year of the chapter’s 15 year history. Over the same period, the Chapter itself, representing the work of the BOO students, has received both state, national and international recognition. BOO has achieved the highest 5 star rating of the over 1200 chapters in the Phi Theta Kappa international organization.
Phi Theta Kappa is committed to academic excellence and individual growth by providing leadership, scholarship, fellowship and service opportunities. Beta Theta Omicron offers students various volunteer programs that help students discover their talent and expands their network. Events such as Relay for Life, Expanding Your Horizons, Senior Center Outreach, and High School Outreach give students a chance to help out the community and our campus.
The work of the three sponsors demonstrate exemplary support for student success, academic achievement and community involvement. Their support of BOO students has been consistently present.
Community Winner: Cindy Abbott
A resident of Pacifica since 1996, Abbott is known by many for her volunteer work, which includes serving on the Pacifica Parks, Beaches and Recreation Commission and working as a member of the ad hoc Pacifica Beautification Awards Committee. She is on the Board of Pacifica’s Environmental Family, she is the Fog Fest Green Team coordinator, a volunteer with the Pacifica Historical Society and served two years on the Board of the Pacifica Resource Center. For three years, Abbott was the Sanchez Art Center Board treasurer.
Prior to her new job as executive director, Abbott was the program director for the Pacific Stroke Association.
In her “spare time” Cindy has been actively supporting the President’s Council for more than three years. She is an active and engaged Pacifica resident who has supported the overall development and effectiveness of the president’s council.
She works consistently to strengthen the infrastructure and collaborative capacity of the Council working with the college President and President’s Council Executive Committee.
Cindy provided the necessary support and leadership for the Council to launch the success summit which is designed to identify and address issues in north San Mateo County. As a result, Cindy has shepherded the last mile initiative, completed the necessary follow-up, made, managed and maintained the necessary connections and partnerships, and facilitated the necessary campus surveys, meetings, connections to the sustainability student club, and connections to the campus/district sustainability plans.
Cindy also worked with Gohar Momjian to secure the transportation authority grant that gave us the Skyline College Express shuttle.
