Information Systems Educator Takes Home “President’s Award for Teaching Excellence” at Louisiana Community and Technical College System Conference
For the second year in a row, a SOWELA Instructor received the top educator honor at the Louisiana Community and Technical College System (LCTCS) conference. Information Systems Instructor Brandon Kelley beat out numerous Louisiana community and technical college applicants to take home the “President’s Award for Teaching Excellence” and the $5,000 cash prize.
“The achievement of the LCTCS President’s Award for Teaching Excellence by Brandon Kelley is quite an honor for Brandon as well as SOWELA,” said SOWELA Chancellor Dr. Neil Aspinwall. “This award substantiates the value and impact of the excellent teaching skills that Brandon utilizes each day. His ability to not only pass along knowledge but inspire his students to reach higher goals speaks to his commitment to the student focus/student first culture that exists at the College.”
Kelley has worked at SOWELA for two years during which time program enrollment has grown 30%. His inclusive and hands-on classroom environment empowers students to rise to their full potential no matter their socioeconomic status or circumstances. Kelley presents materials in a ‘flipped classroom’ style where students engage in interactive discussions and are encouraged to use tools and cabling from the lab to practice what is being discussed. Labs include everything from writing software to building computers, installing wiring closets and server racks, terminating RJ-45, fiber optics and much more.
Understanding that many students are in the middle of changing the course of their lives, sacrificing time, money and being with their family, Kelley records every lecture because it is not always possible for students to drop a shift at work to be in class. In the Spring 2024 semester, his lectures were watched 836 times. This equated to 85 additional hours of instruction. Considering he only sees each student for around three hours a week in a typical semester, those hours equate to 28.3 weeks of additional instruction.
The “President’s Award for Teaching Excellence” aims to recognize an exceptional educator in Louisiana’s community and technical colleges. It is awarded annually to one teaching faculty member in LCTCS who distinctly represents the teaching excellence found in the statewide system of colleges. As part of the application process, Kelley submitted a video showcasing his teaching style, abstract, letter of support from SOWELA’s Chancellor, syllabus and resume.
About SOWELA Technical Community College
SOWELA Technical Community College provides traditional, online, and lifelong learning experiences and awards associate degrees, technical diplomas, and certificates. The College empowers learners in career and technical education and enables transfer students to pursue a four-year degree, so all learners excel as globally competitive citizens. The College has been educating the region’s workforce for 80 years and has locations in Jennings, Lake Charles and Oakdale, Louisiana.