Two JJC Employees Receive NISOD Excellence Award

The National Institute for Staff and Organizational Development (NISOD) has awarded two Joliet Junior College employees for their work on developmental projects dedicated to improving the student experience at JJC. 

Kayra Jimenez, scheduling coordinator, received a NISOD Excellence Award for her role in implementing the student processes in Workday while Heather Anderson Nadess, associate English professor, earned a NISOD Excellence Award for her work with the English Transition Course project. 

“Kayra’s leadership in the integration and configuration of curricula in Workday was extraordinary,” Dr. Lynn Mackey, dean of academic excellence and support, said. “As the college’s scheduling coordinator, she is not required to hold the depth of curriculum knowledge that the Workday project demanded. But she acquired the requisite knowledge through years of working closely with the curriculum manager. She willingly offered her expertise and filled an important gap in knowledge while the curriculum manager position was vacant. She went above and beyond the call of duty and worked tirelessly to ensure that the project succeeded.” 

Nadess was part of the Transitional English Taskforce, a team consisting of faculty from JJC and local high schools. The taskforce developed a state-mandated English transition course that prepares high school graduates to directly enter English 101 in college if they pass with a C or higher. 

"The work on this state-required course had been interrupted by the pandemic, but Heather put forth an exceptional effort to get the project back on track,” Dr. Mackey said. 

Both Jimenez and Nadess were honored but surprised when the awards were announced. 

“It was quite a pleasant surprise, but also profoundly humbling and also gratifying to know that your colleagues appreciate the work you do and are willing to make an effort for it to be recognized,” Nadess said. 

The pair were both eager to share that the Workday implementation and English transition course are projects that truly were team efforts. That collaboration will continue to be useful as each project continues to progress. The student phases of Workday are not yet complete, and the English transition course is still in its infancy. 

The 2022-2023 school year was the first for JJC’s English transition course with Coal City High School offering the class to some of its senior students. It has acted as a pilot for the course, allowing the taskforce to observe its effectiveness and adjust accordingly. At least five schools are set to offer the class in the 2023-2024 school year. 

Whether the area is academic affairs or course development, their award-winning work serves the same purpose: to help students. 

“What we do matters, and it fundamentally matters for students,” Nadess said. “Getting the award is great, and it's wonderful. But at the end of the day, the question really is ‘Are our students being served?’ and ‘How are students best being served?’” 

For media inquiries, contact Communications and Media Manager Katie Smith at 815-280-2844 or katherine.smith@jjc.edu.