CAROLINE MILLS WINS TRUSTEE LEADERSHIP AWARD

(Feb. 8, 2013)A two-term member of the Central Wyoming College Board was honored with a Leadership Award from the Wyoming Association of Community College Trustees Thursday night.

Caroline Mills, who represented the Wind River Reservation subdistrict for eight years on the CWC board, was honored at the WACCT’s annual Awards and Legislative Reception in Cheyenne for her public service.

Mills, the director of the Fort Washakie Learning Center, retired from the board at the conclusion of her second term in December 2012. She was chair of the board her final year and was vice chair for the prior two years. She was the college’s representative to the CWC Board of Cooperative Higher Educational Services.

In addition to serving the college, Mills has serves on the Wyoming Humanities Council, the International Partners in Mission, the Shoshone and Arapaho Head Start Policy Council and the Rocky Mountain Youth/Parent Organization.

In her job, Caroline has been instrumental in assisting many American Indian students to earn their GED and she also helps them with their college applications and financial aid forms. In September 2012 alone, 34 students spent 202 hours working on their GEDs at the Fort Washakie Learning Center that is normally only opened 160 hours per month. In October 2012 a total of 36 students put in a total of 317 hours. She encourages those completing their GEDs to continue on to higher education and has tutored and advised many who walk through her door. She has even assisted students who have been incarcerated to obtain their GEDs. During the spring and fall semesters CWC has offered computer classes at the Learning Center for the community, the Bureau of Indian Affairs employees and Indian Health Service staff.

Each year, the state’s seven community colleges nominate outstanding staff members, trustees and foundation volunteers who are honored at the WACCT Awards and Legislative reception.
Also nominated from CWC were Wyoming PBS General Manager Ruby Calvert for the professional staff award, Wyoming PBS traffic manager Suze Kanack for the classified staff award, and Professor Suki Smaglik for the faculty award. Nursing student Maramee Womack of Lander was nominated from CWC for the student leadership award.