2021 Lifelong Learning Awards

Lifelong Learning

The Trustees' Lifelong Learning Award is given in recognition and support of the importance of continued intellectual and professional growth of all members of Seattle Colleges. Conceived as a means of rewarding excellence, its primary purpose is to encourage the faculty, staff and administrators of the college community to value and actively pursue learning for learning's sake.

The Lifelong Learning Award recognizes outstanding employees who demonstrate continued intellectual and professional growth and exemplify qualities such as leadership, professional achievement, and a cooperative spirit.

Each winner will receive a grant of $1,500 to pay for teaching and learning activities such as meetings, conferences, classes, and college coursework.

2021 Recipients

Full-Time Faculty

Diana Ma
North Seattle College
Faculty, English

23 Years of Service

As a long-serving faculty member with over 23 years of service to the district, Diana Ma has emerged as an engaged and determined leader in ongoing Equity, Diversity and Inclusion efforts at North Seattle College. As well as serving as coordinator for North Seattle College’s English department, she devotes countless hours to a wide variety of committees, presiding as Chair of the Global Studies committee, the Social Justice and Intersectional Studies committee, and more. Along with her commitment to her students, Diana has earned plaudits from her peers for her work as a mentor to her fellow English faculty and continues to serve in the Washington SBCTC Faculty of Color Mentorship program.

Yilin Sun
Seattle Colleges District
FTF Development Coordinator

27 Years of Service

With nearly 28 years of service, Yilin Sun is widely respected as an educator, leader, collaborator, mentor and champion of equitable and diverse campus communities across the district. Having taught ESL at South for 10 years, and Central for 15, she is praised by her peers as a role model and inspiration for all immigrants and non-native English speakers in the student body. Yilin has been the recipient of numerous awards, both for her role as a teacher and educator, as well as her service as a leader and mentor to her peers.

Part-Time Faculty

Rebecca McCarthy
South Seattle College
Part-Time Faculty, English & Communications

11 Years of Service

Since 2009 Rebecca McCarthy has served as an instructor within South Seattle College’s English and Communications programs, and has earned recognition both for her outstanding teaching, as well as her commitment to the advancement and improvement of online teaching pedagogies. She is praised by her peers for her vital assistance in mentoring other faculty with online and hybrid teaching technologies such as Canvas, Blackboard, Google Classroom and more. As well as supporting her fellow educators, Rebecca earns praise for her support of her students, both in and out of the classroom.

Classified Staff

Khin Naing
Georgetown
Program Manager

16 Years of Service

Over 16 years of service, Khin Naing has built a reputation for commitment to students, faculty and staff, first at South Seattle College and presently at the Georgetown campus. Whether acting as a lead in testing the rollout of ctcLink and People Soft for her campus, offering room and board to international SSC students as an International Housing Guardian, or spearheading outreach and recruitment for international students in her former home country of Myanmar, Khin is a tireless advocate for the educational mission of Seattle Colleges.

Exempt Staff

Mark Baumann
Seattle Colleges District
ctcLink Campus Solutions Data Specialist

30 Years of Service

In his 30 years of service to the district, Mark Baumann has developed a deep well of knowledge as to how Seattle Colleges’ programs, students, and administration intersect and rely on one another. Since starting as a cashier at North Seattle College in 1991, he has served as lead class scheduler, a research and database specialist, an in-demand process development guru, and since 2016 an integral member of the district’s ctcLink team. Mark’s peers all praise his patience, kindness, and commitment to the district and the students that we serve.

Brianne Sanchez
North Seattle College
Director of Financial Aid and Veteran’s Services

10 Years of Service

During her 10 years of service to the district, Brianne Sanchez has become renowned at North Seattle College as a dedicated and tireless leader, mentor, and peer. Her commitment to the district is evident in the numerous North Seattle College and district committees and task forces of which she is a member, including the Emergency Funding Task Force, CARE team, Seattle Promise Advisory Board, and more. She has earned much-deserved recognition for her efforts throughout the COVID-19 pandemic for her efforts with the financial aid team to help students to navigate complex financial aid and emergency funding during the crisis.