Marilú Duncan wins state professional employee award

 

Marilú Duncan, the director of Central Wyoming College's Student Support Services program, was honored by the Wyoming Association of Community College Trustees Thursday night as the year's Professional Employee of the Year.

Duncan, who has been responsible for multiple diversity activities at CWC, was recognized at the annual WACCT Awards and Legislative Reception held in Cheyenne Feb. 20.

For more than a decade, Duncan has been the director of one of the largest and most successful Student Support Services programs in the nation. The program is designed to identify and provide services to students from disadvantaged backgrounds, targeting first generation, low income and students with disabilities. The federally supported program at CWC provides resources to more than 400 students annually, including retention, tutoring and university transfer services.

Under Duncan, the program has assumed responsibility of the college's retention efforts. When a student appears to be at risk for failing a course, faculty report to Duncan so additional help can be provided.

Other CWC nominees for state awards include faculty member Buck Tilton, classified staff member Sonja Fairfield, and student Abbey Wilson.