Nan Poppe awarded the 2004 Carolyn Desjardins Leadership Award
The
mission of the Oregon Chapter of the American Association for Women in
Community Colleges is to inspire, champion, and celebrate the talents
within each of us. To recognize and celebrate this mission, the AAWCC
Board of Directors awarded the 2004 Carolyn DesJardins Leadership Award
to Dr. Nan Poppe, Campus President of Portland Community College's
Extended Learning Campus.
Her nominators wrote that Nan has been instrumental in advancing the leadership potential of women in community colleges since 1983. Her career has been marked by a dedication to enhancing program offerings specifically related to workforce education and expanding academic opportunities for underserved students. She has been intimately involved in the design and implementation of several model workforce education programs over the years which have renewed purpose and direction in the lives of thousands of women.
As a champion of her own staff she is legendary. She has sought out and nurtured many of us who came to work under her leadership. She has encouraged many of us to pursue advanced degrees as a way to further our own professional development, and as a way to effect system change that will benefit our students. She is a connector, she cares passionately about giving students and staff the resources they need to achieve their full potential. Some may call her a Pollyanna - the glass is always half-full to her. She brings compassion and a sense of play that are contagious - you want to be part of what she is leading - and you want to become a leader yourself.
What makes Nan an inspiration to all of us is that she has very clear priorities. Students come first, and if it is good for students, she'll figure the rest out, or help us do it. This student centered approach has guided her through careers at multiple community colleges and positions. Keeping a center which involves building relationships first, both with students and staff, is part of her legacy.
As a board member of the National Council for Workforce Education, Nan is a leader and pioneer in developing career pathways to increase postsecondary attainment. Her well-articulated passion for building education and training opportunities for low-income and disadvantaged individuals and limited English speakers is contagious. She is current co-chair of the Governor's Higher Education Committee on Access and Affordability. She is also a member of the Governor's Pathways to Advancement Academy team.
In June, Nan traveled to the Oregon Institute for Leadership Development to talk with a group of community college women about principles of leadership. She shared her list of top ten traits of an excellent leader. She embodies these principles in every way:
- Relationships are key, everyone is important.
- Will & determination will prevail. Keep your eyes on the prize
- Humility- give credit to others
- Have the courage to make tough decisions
- Learn from your mistakes
- Spend more time listening than talking
- Resist the urge to hire people just like you. Embrace and celebrate
diversity.
- Seek out mentors - learn from those around you.
- Be relentlessly positive
- Don't be a jerk
Perhaps most importantly, Nan is fun! She doesn't take herself too
seriously and doesn't get rattled by crisis or turmoil. She is able
to assess a situation and determine its' seriousness and take appropriate
action. She completely empowers those with whom she works, but is able
to meet the delicate balance of always being there, or making time if
a manager needs her. She engenders universal support.
Nan has remarkable political sense built upon relationships. She creates alliances everywhere. She is recognized at national, state and local levels for her work in workforce development, career pathways and welfare reform. She is gracious about involving others and sharing any recognition that comes her way.
We are proud to honor Nan Poppe with the 2004 Carolyn DesJardins Leadership Award. When the Steps to Success program was in its early stages, she said something extraordinary that remains the foundation of the program’s approach: "We'll love these students first and success will take care of itself."
Previous winners of the Carolyn DesJardins Leadership Award also include Terri Johanson, Brenda Brecke, Carolyn DesJardins, Nikki Harrington, Alice Jacobson, Marcia Keith, Rebecca Kenney, Dan Moriarity, Mary Spilde, Stephanie Sussman, and Gretchen Schuette.
Nominations for the 2005 Carolyn DesJardins Award are open until October 18, 2005. (Read more about the nomination process.)