SCENE Spring 2018 | Page 4

ACCOLADES Twice is Nice RCC’S SCENE NEWSLETTER WINS TWO AWARDS New Rockland Community College students received scholarships from the RCC Foundation at a ceremony November 13 in the Student Union. Above, Dr. Michael Baston, RCC President, poses with scholarship recipient Rachel Weinfeld and her mother after the event. T he newsletter you have in your hands (or on your screen) is a national and regional award winner! SCENE captured a pair of awards in recent months from the National Council for Marketing & Public Relations, the leading organization for community college communications professionals. Last fall, SCENE earned the Bronze Medallion Award in the Newsletter category from NCMPR’s District 1, representing community colleges in the northeastern United States and part of Canada. That honor was presented at a ceremony in Philadelphia on October 10, 2017. Then in January, the NCMPR announced that SCENE is one of the three finalists in the Newsletter category for its national Paragon Awards. That means RCC is guaranteed to win an award—either Gold, Silver or Bronze—when the final selections are announced at the organization’s national conference on March 18 in Las Vegas. RCC Trustee Receives Leadership Award Mary Lou Dillon received a statewide award for her leadership during nearly a decade serving on the RCC Board of Trustees. SCENE | 4 In nearly a decade serving on the Rockland Community College Board of Trustees, Mary Lou Dillon has played an important role in the advancement of the College. While Dillon goes about her work quietly, she is nonetheless earning recognition for her contributions. Dillon received the Donald J. Mawhinney, Jr. Trustee Leadership Award in October from the New York Community College Trustees (NYCCT) association. No more than three trustees receive the Mawhinney Award statewide in any given year. It goes to individuals who “demonstrate a significant commitment to the community college mission through exceptional leadership, inspired vision and outstanding professional contributions in support of the goals and accomplishments of their local campus.” In nominating Dillon for the award, the RCC Board of Trustees cited her three terms as Board Secretary and her current position as Vice Chair. She has also served as the Chair of the Presidential Transition Committee, and is taking an active role in implementing recommendations issued by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education during RCC’s recent accreditation review. The award also honors Dillon for her many activities within the local community.