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thedrifter
06-20-09, 08:46 AM
Coastal names staff member of the year
June 19, 2009 - 7:09 PM
By Kevin Forsythe

Dedicating herself to ensuring students aboard local military bases are afforded quality, convenient educational opportunities has made Michelle Koenig the Coastal Carolina Community College's 2009 Staff Member of the Year.

Koenig, of Richlands, is the department head/curriculum coordinator of off campus sites. She oversees Coastal's campus extensions aboard Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune and Marine Corps Air Station New River. Koenig conducts and supervises the recruiting, counseling, enrollment and fees collection of the extension sites. She also assists in the planning, supervision and evaluation of classes.

A military spouse herself, Koenig has a deep appreciation and understanding of the specific challenges facing military students.

"I have a great deal of respect for the people who defend our country, and it not only gives me great satisfaction, but is also a real honor to be able to give something back to them," said Koenig, who was also the senior education assistant at Hawaii Pacific University's Marine Corps Base Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii, campus.

"I've always loved working with people who are trying to achieve important goals in their lives," Koenig said.

Coastal opened a new learning lab aboard MCAS New River in which Koenig was heavily involved. She help with the planning and implementation of the learning lab, which provides free tutoring in reading, English, math as well as SAT preparation and skills assessment.

Koenig hosts "welcome aboard" briefings for newly assigned service personnel, which have played a key role in increasing awareness of educational opportunities available to those new to the area.

As curriculum coordinator, she not only oversees academic operations in classrooms located on local bases, but online course offerings as well.

"Our online courses allow service personnel to register and take classes from all over the world," Koenig said.

She has been credited with taking the initiative to coordinate transportation for Marines and Navy personnel stationed in the Wounded Warrior Barracks in order for them to attend classes at the John A. Lejeune Education Center. Koenig also helped to develop a pilot program that provided college English at Camp Lejeune's Staff Non-Commissioned Officer School.

"She consistently puts in the extra time to ensure that the operations of our campus extensions are effectively maintained and operating smoothly," said Roger McElraft, division chair of off campus sites at Coastal. "She is absolutely unselfishly devoted to duty."

Dr. Ronald Lingle, president of the college agreed.

"Michelle is the epitome of a Marine wife and a ‘can do' professional. Our Marines and sailors need help in pursuing their educational goals and she views it her mission and a personal challenge to help them find a way to succeed," he said.

The honor recognizes excellent performance and commitment to the college by the non-teaching staff and makes her eligible for the 2009 North Carolina Community College System Staff Award.

Ellie