CR's August 21, 2026 Times Standard Article--CR Celebrates Fall 2026 Convocation

Published on Aug 18 2026

Our summer break has come to an end, and the fall semester is about to begin.  There is a special feeling when August arrives and the college community comes back together to usher in a new academic year. 

We mark the occasion with our Convocation ceremony, an opportunity for faculty and staff to gather and talk about the year ahead. It is also a time when we welcome new faculty, staff, and students to the CR community. These new relationships bring fresh excitement and enthusiasm for our shared mission and culture of trust, respect, scholarship, and service.

This year’s Convocation was particularly meaningful to me because it was my last as President. I aspired to have my last CR convocation event mirror my first. The message was clear: the greatest strength of College of the Redwoods lies in its people. I wanted to recognize the wonderful contributions of our faculty and staff, whose work has helped make the college a phenomenal place to be, and to imagine the great things in store for the years ahead. All of us working together to serve our communities and to engage in conversations that will help us address the challenges facing higher education, our region, and the nation. 

Convocation also gave us the opportunity to acknowledge some of the people whose leadership, dedication, and service make CR the community it is.

Matthew McKindley received the Classified Employee of the Year award for his exceptional dedication to students and his willingness to go above and beyond to support the college community. Matt’s own CR story began in 2015, when he took a part-time custodial job at the Klamath-Trinity Instructional Site and enrolled as a student. Today, he advises students, teaches in CR’s Addiction Studies program, and serves as faculty advisor for the System Impacted Student Union, making his journey a powerful example of the opportunities CR can create.

The Kathryn G. Smith Leadership award, which recognizes an individual employee or a group of employees who embody both the letter and spirit of leadership excellence, was presented to Professors Michelle Haggerty and Dr. Erik Kramer. In their roles as faculty union leaders, Michelle and Erik have worked to ensure that the faculty union and the administration work as a team, while at the same time strengthening community among faculty. 

Dr. Stacey Anne Salinas received an award from the Equity, Leadership, Empowerment, Vision, Access, Transformation, and Engagement (ELEVATE) Committee for her use of grassroots teaching approaches that make academic concepts more accessible to students. Dr. Salinas was praised for her ability to engage in difficult conversations related to equity, diversity, student identity, and past historical events with grace and understanding.

The Faculty and Associate Faculty of the Year awards gave us another opportunity to celebrate the people who make CR so special. Dr. George Potamianos was named Faculty of the Year, both for his teaching at Pelican Bay and his dedicated leadership as Curriculum Committee chair during a particularly demanding period of statewide changes and internal updates. Stephen Quiggle received the Associate Faculty of the Year award for the vital role he has played in guiding and inspiring students. I am proud of their achievements and the lasting impact they have on our students’ lives every day.

We also welcomed 10 new full-time faculty members, 28 associate faculty members, seven managers, and 21 classified staff members to the college community. They will bring new expertise, experiences, and perspectives to our classrooms, programs, and services, while joining a community with a deep commitment to teaching, service, and student success. I am excited about what they will contribute to CR and, just as importantly, how they will become part of the culture and community we continue to build together.

As we look ahead, we will remain clear-eyed about the world around us, engaging in hard conversations when the moment requires it. We will also continue creating a fertile environment for our students to pursue their passions while building on CR’s strong position for future success. 

I believe that, while other colleges struggle to define their value, College of the Redwoods is firmly focused on our mission to serve our communities. Aligning our degrees and certificates with industries and professions in our region gives our degrees tangible value that allows us to distinguish ourselves from our peers - to be innovators, not followers.

In December, we will welcome a new president who will have the opportunity to build on this strong foundation and help guide CR into its next chapter. It was evident at this year’s Convocation, that while other colleges may be searching for their purpose, we are actively living ours.