Professional Learning | Citrus College

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Citrus College is committed to fostering a culture of continuous improvement and growth for all employees. To achieve this goal, the college provides opportunities for adjunct faculty, classified staff, confidential staff, supervisors, full-time faculty and managers to enhance their skills and knowledge in support of the college's educational mission.

The initiatives of professional learning, in partnership with the diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility+ (DEIA+) office, are designed to align with the college's commitment to empower employees. These initiatives aim to help employees engage, grow and thrive in their roles through various methods, including training sessions, workshops, projects, tuition reimbursement and recognition programs.

Established at the start of the 2023-2024 academic year, professional learning evolved from the decades-old Classified Staff Development Committee and the Faculty Learning Institute.

Celebrating Faculty and Staff Achievement

The Outstanding Colleagues Award honors employees who embody the mission, vision and values of Citrus College in meaningful ways. Recipients demonstrate dedication, creativity and collaboration that make our campus a place where students and colleagues alike can thrive.

Awardees are recognized and celebrated by their peers during Flex Day, the college's annual spring in-service event.

2025 Outstanding Colleagues Award Recipients

Gwen Harris · faculty schedule/catalog analyst · academic affairs
Dr. Elaine Lipiz Gonzalez · dean of counseling programs and services · student services
Darla Ramirez · administrative secretary · natural and physical sciences division
Tommy Reyes · drafting, engineering and industrial technology faculty · career technical education division
Areej Qasqas · political science adjunct faculty · social and behavioral sciences division

Discover more about the five honorees in the April 2026 Citrus View feature story. [1.3 MB PDF]

Pictured (L-R): Areej Qasqas, Tommy Reyes, Darla Ramirez, Gwen Harris and Dr. Elaine Lipiz Gonzalez

The Distinguished Faculty Award honors a full-time, tenured faculty member who stands out through their service to students and contributions to their discipline and the college. This faculty member is selected yearly by the Professional Learning Committee from nominations made by the campus at large.

Each recipient is honored at commencement and given the opportunity to share words with the graduates, their families and the Citrus College community, this is our chance to highlight a unique individual each year during the college's June graduation ceremony.

Past Distinguished Faculty Award recipients include:

2025 – Ms. Rebecca (Becky) Rudd, English · language arts and library division [PDF]
2024 – Ms. Priscilla Englert, automotive technology · career technical education division
2023 – Ms. Tasha VanHorn, speech communication · language arts and library division
2022 – Mr. Dave Brown, automotive technology · career technical education division
2021 – Dr. Senya Lubisich, history · social and behavioral sciences division
2020 – Dr. Ken Guttman, psychology · social and behavioral sciences division

2019 – Dr. Ana Afzali, Spanish · language arts and library division
2018 – Dr. Dale Salwak, English · language arts and library division
2017 – Dr. Melanie Anson, speech · language arts and library division
2016 – Ms. Gail Tucker, vocational nursing · natural, physical and health sciences division
2015 – Mr. Jim Woolum, administration of justice · social and behavioral sciences division
2014 – Dr. David Kary, astronomy · natural, physical and health sciences division
2013 – Dr. Bruce Olav Solheim, history · social and behavioral sciences division
2012 – Ms. Linda (Holly) Colville, Spanish · language arts and library division

2011 – Mr. James Zaharek, administration of justice · social and behavioral sciences division
2010 – Mr. John Vaughan, dance · visual and performing arts, division
2009 – Ms. Carolyn Perry, human development · social and behavioral sciences division
2008 – Mr. Michael Hillman, fine arts · visual and performing arts division
2007 – Ms. Margaret O'Neil, journalism/communications · language arts and library division
2006 – Dr. Beverly Van Citters, English · language arts and library division
2005 – Ms. Marilyn Eng, counseling · counseling programs and services division
2004 – Ms. Linda Humphrey, English · language arts and library division

Professional Learning Resources

The California Community Colleges Chancellor's Office Vision Resource Center is the Citrus College central hub for all professional learning opportunities (including compliance training). The Vision Resource Center is an innovative online learning and communication platform that provides every employee of California community colleges with equal access to an abundance of professional development resources aligned with the goals outlined in Vision 2030.

WORKSHOPS AND LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES

Accessibility Workshop Series (located on the California Community College's Vision Resource Center website)
To access the Citrus College Vision Resource Center employee portal, log in using your work email and password (single sign-on credentials).

CVC@One
California Virtual Campus Online Network of Educators is a collaborative community working to elevate teaching and learning. Professional development offerings include courses, workshops, webinars and flexible, self-paced resources.

EquityConnect®
Hosted by the USC Race and Equity Center, this initiative offers virtual learning modules focused on practical strategies for advancing racial equity in higher education. Topics include: using data to assess equity, creating inclusive curricula, equity-minded teaching practices and navigating challenges in diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) work. These sessions provide actionable insights that can help us continue fostering a more equitable learning environment.

You can engage in the learning modules at your own pace, a revised format from when we first joined the alliance in 2022/23. We hope you take advantage of this meaningful professional learning opportunity.

To create an account or to log in, click on EquityConnect®.

Institutional Effectiveness Partnership Initiative
Professional development workshops provided in collaboration with the California Community Colleges Chancellor's Office

Open Educational Resources
General information, workshops and webinars for the Citrus College community

CONFERENCE ATTENDANCE

We are accepting travel requests for the 2025-2026 academic year, which started on July 1. Submit your request by completing the Request for Professional Learning Funding fillable PDF and uploading the completed form to Submitting Requests for Professional Learning Travel.

The travel/conference funding criteria for the fiscal year will include a $2,900 limit for funding requests each month. The maximum allotment per fiscal year for adjunct faculty, classified staff, confidential/supervisors, full-time faculty and managers is $850.

Funding requests with events beginning on or before the last day of the fiscal year are reviewed monthly. The requests should be emailed to professionallearning@citruscollege.edu by the first of each month. Unallocated funds will be rolled over and averaged to the next month.

CONFERENCE DELEGATION

Citrus College is preparing to support faculty and staff participation in four conferences through a delegation model, allowing the college to invest strategically in professional learning while maximizing institutional impact. We are pleased to invite interested employees to express interest in attending one of the following conferences as part of a Citrus College delegation:

Employees interested in attending one of these conferences as part of the college delegation are asked to complete the Citrus College Conference Delegation Interest Form (fillable PDF) and uploading the completed form to Submitting Requests for Professional Learning Travel.

RESOURCES

4CPD
An organization offering learning and networking opportunities for professional development practitioners across the of the California community colleges

Academic Senate for California Community Colleges
Events and meetings including webinars regarding state-wide initiatives including, SLOs, OER and Guided Pathways

California Community College Vision Resource Center
A portal dedicated to providing support needed to meet the goals of the vision for success through the Guided Pathways framework

California Virtual Campus
Current information and tools for educators who are developing or teaching an online course

MERLOT
A continually growing collection of online learning materials and support resources that help faculty enhance their instruction

National Institute for Staff and Organizational Development
Live and archived webinars to promote excellence in teaching, learning and leadership at community and technical colleges

PROFESSIONAL LEARNING COMMITTEE

A standing committee of the overseeing campus governance Steering Committee, the Professional Learning Committee, formed in fall 2023, includes representatives from all constituent groups. Further information about the committee, including its purpose statement and meeting agendas and minutes, can be found on the Professional Learning Committee website.