January 15, 1999
By Elizabeth Posadas
The Southwestern College Governing Board presented its 1998-99 Faculty Recognition Awards at the December 9 meeting to Valentina Goldberg, Nouna Bakhiet, Joi Blake, and Ursula Kantor, who were honored with the highest awards of the year for their dedication to Southwestern College and its students.
Valentina Goldberg, professor of mathematics, was selected for the teaching excellence award; Bakhiet was recognized for adjunct faculty; and Blake and Kantor were both selected for the professional leadership awards.
Academic Senate President John Newhouse assisted Governing Board President Jerry J. Griffith in the presentation of the award to each recipient.
Valentina Goldberg
Teaching Excellence Award
"As a teacher, I believe I am totally committed to students' success because I am always there for them. This includes specific material tutoring and personal advisement," says Southwestern College mathematics professor, Valentina Goldberg. She has been part of the Southwestern College faculty since 1981.
Goldberg attended the University of California San Diego and received her bach-elor's and master's degrees in applied mathematics. Goldberg knew she wanted to pursue a career in mathematics when she had the opportunity to be a teacher's assistant during grad school and enjoyed the teaching experience.
Goldberg says, "I enjoy being part of the Southwestern College team because of the good relationships with the faculty and the diversity of my students." Goldberg encourages students to not be afraid of math courses. She says, "Math is very interesting and thought provoking." When she is working with her students she says, "I work very hard at making my classroom a place where my students want to be. I try to make them feel comfortable, safe and unthreatened."
Goldberg says, "Always maintaining a positive attitude, my students and I can work together to overcome obstacles and be successful."
Nouna Bakhiet
Adjunct Faculty
A native of Sudan, Nouna Bakhiet, moved to the United States at the age of nine after the death of her parents. She's now an instructor of biology and human anatomy, and mentor for the Bridges to the Future Program at Southwestern College.
Dr. L. E. Olson, dean of the School of Math, Sciences and Engineering says, "Bakhiet assumes a level of commitment to her students and colleagues normally attributed to tenured faculty. She developed and maintains curricula and programs that strengthen her educational contribution and commitment at Southwestern College."
She received her bachelor's, master's, and doctorate degrees in microbiology from the University of Iowa. Bakhiet entered the professional world participating in research for several institutions including, the Burnham Institute in La Jolla; Loma Linda University; and University of California at Davis.
Her introduction to the community college environment of Southwestern College was in 1998. She says, "I recommend students to attend the community college after high school to be in a healthy environment that supports students with jobs while working toward their degrees."
Bakhiet has always had a keen interest in teaching and says that throughout her career he always knew that teaching students microbiology, what she calls, "the basis of life" would be a fulfilling career. She says, "My students give life to what my perception of what teaching is all about because they are the medium through which I can work."
Joi Blake
Professional Leadership
Courage is what Joi Blake had after being diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis but that did not stop her from pursuing a career as a college counselor. Blake is a counselor and personal development instructor at Southwestern College where she has been working for seven years.
As a child growing up, her family moved quite often because her father was in the military. Blake was born in Guam. Later her father was stationed back and forth from California to japan to California and then to Denver, Colorado, where her brother and she were the first African-American students to be bused to school.
After graduating from Mt. Miguel High School in San Diego County she attended the University of California San Diego for two quarters. However, when she was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis, Blake decided to take a break from school for a semester. She then continued her education at a community college that led her to transfer to San Francisco State University where she received a bachelor's degree in health science with a minor in Spanish. With her mother's encouragement and advice to go to grad school, she received her master's degree in 1982 from San Diego State University in vocational rehabilitation counseling.
After working in the career center at another community college she decided to do a career switch to community college counseling. Blake began her career at Southwestern College in the Extended Opportunity Programs and Services and later she had the opportunity to become a counselor. She has been part of the Southwestern College team since then, and she also teaches personal development classes on campus.
Ursula Kantor
Professional Leadership Award
Even after escaping the war in Poland with her family at the age of seven, Ursula Kantor succeeded in finishing her education. Finding herself in Brazil as a young woman, she met her first husband and moved to the United States.
In 1970, she decided to enroll in Southwestern College after being out of school for 22 years and never having had an "American school experience" except through her three children. Then, due to necessity, she worked full-time at Southwestern College as a paraprofessional counselor. Kantor maintained a very busy schedule because she was not only a student and worked full-time, but also because she had a family to attend to.
Kantor has been a counselor for the student services division at Southwestern College since 1980, and received her associate of arts degree in general education as an honors student in 1976. Next, she transferred to San Diego State University where she was an honor student as well, receiving a bachelor of arts degree in psychology in 1977. Finishing her educational career, along with other credentials and licenses she has obtained throughout her academic journey, Kantor received her master of science degree in education counseling from San Diego State University in 1980.
Nicole Ratliff, counselor at SWC says, "The evidence that she serves as a role model for her colleagues by giving time above and beyond their regularly assigned duties includes a deep commitment to Southwestern College's staff and student body."
Kantor's ability to be proficient in four languages that include, English, Spanish, Portuguese and German has made her communication with colleagues and students more effective. She says, "I work effectively to bring instruction and counseling together to benefit students, and I make valuable contributions to my own division by using my creative problem solving skills to enhance our participation in Southwestern College Community." Kantor says, "I enjoy working with students and seeing them blossom." She characterizes her work environment as being "a positive place to work with an ideal group of people."
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