The award, AC’s most prestigious faculty accolade, was created in 1988 and named after the College’s second president.

 

Mead’s unique contributions included leading AC during the challenging 1930s and returning as a full-time member of the faculty in the 1960s.

 

One Mead Award was presented during each of AC’s two spring graduation ceremonies on May 10 at the Amarillo Civic Center.

 

Biggers, a professor of biology, became a full-time instructor at AC in 2004 and steadily moved up through the ranks. She ascended to assistant professor in 2006, associate professor in 2010, and full professor in 2013.

 

In nominating Biggers for the award, students and colleagues wrote, among other things, that she “develops highly interactive classes, adopts new technology, and organizes special study sessions to ensure student success.”

 

Additionally, she is “caring and wants the best for students,” and “researches best teaching practices in the field, while using student data to guide curriculum changes.”

 

Biggers served as chair for the Biology Department from 2014-2018.

 

Hill, instructor and director of AC’s Medical Assisting program, joined the AC faculty in 2014.

 

She received several nominations for the Mead Award, particularly from students, a few of whom wrote comments such as: her “heart is in teaching and helping us learn,” and “she is a teacher who creates a secure and safe environment for her students to ask questions and learn … has the purest, most caring heart for each and every one of her students … wants to see us be successful in life … wants to see you succeed and will not stop until you do.”

 

Each recipient receives a plaque and a monetary award.

 

NOTE: Photo at top is Dr. Claudie Biggers; photo at bottom is Jessica Hill.