Midlands Technical College Names Top Employees for 2018

Midlands Technical College (MTC) kicked off its fall semester by honoring its Employees of the Year for 2018. MTC President Dr. Ronald L. Rhames; alongside Garry Powers, Chair of the MTC Commission; and Scott Adams, Chair of the MTC Foundation, presented the awards.

“It’s always an honor to recognize our best at the beginning of Fall Semester,” said Rhames. “Our dedicated faculty and staff are the core of MTC’s commitment to academic excellence. Though only a few receive the title of Employees of the Year, all the employees here at MTC have my respect and appreciation.”

Individuals at the college nominate their peers for these annual awards. Committees comprised of college faculty, staff, and administration select MTC’s Employees of the Year.

The MTC 2018 Employees of the Year are:

	Becca Johnson, MTC’s Supervisor of the Year, is known for leading teams motivated by mutual respect, a desire to do an excellent job, and a comradery that makes the office run effortlessly. She is open to new ideas and encourages her employees to be innovative and to work together toward common goals.
	Benjamin Gaston is Advisor of the Year. Dedicated and passionate, he orchestrates off-campus tours with potential hiring companies in order to create opportunities for students to become more familiar with the academic curriculum and its relationship to potential career pathways.
	Bill McSorley is Faculty of the Year. An experienced educator, McSorley shows conspicuous service to his students, the college, and the community at large. As one student commented, “His teaching skills and commitment to his students were critical to my learning…the very high standard to which he holds himself is reflected in how he communicates with his students.”
	Destra Capers is the college’s Staff of the Year. On a daily basis, Capers listens as students open up about their lives, and she is a supportive influence not only throughout the enrollment process, but long after a prospective student becomes an MTC student. The relationships she has formed with local school districts have allowed her to navigate the multiple needs of diverse schools and students.
	Permelia Luongo is Administrator of the Year. With nearly 32 years of service to MTC, Luongo has served on numerous committees, presented best practices to colleagues across the state and country, and facilitated an environment within her office of constantly striving for excellence. She is student-centered, ensuring that each decision she and her team make has a positive outcome in the realm of student access and success.
	Shirley Bannister is MTC’s Service Excellence Leader of the Year. Bannister is a mentor and role model to incoming students who feel welcome when interacting with her. Someone who looks for the silver lining in all situations, her love for the profession of nursing and the youth of the Midlands has made her an exceptional leader.

​