A Statewide Award Honors Service and Leadership
in Support of Students with Disabilities

Clark College Disability Support Services Director Tami Jacobs 
has received the Ben Webinger Meritorious Service Award 
from the Washington Association on Postsecondary Education
and Disability (WAPED)

 

VANCOUVER, Wash. — Clark College Disability Support Services Director Tami Jacobs has received the Ben Webinger Meritorious Service Award from the Washington Association on Postsecondary Education and Disability (WAPED).  Jacobs received the award on April 15 during the spring 2010 WAPED Conference in Leavenworth, Wash. 

WAPED provides support and training for professionals working in disability support services at postsecondary institutions throughout the state.  The Ben Webinger Meritorious Service Award is presented to an individual who has demonstrated years of service and leadership to WAPED.

Jacobs, who has served as treasurer of WAPED for four years, is also president of the Disability Support Services Council (DSSC).  In that role, she is a liaison between Washington state community and technical colleges, the State Board for Community and Technical Colleges (SBCTC) and Washington’s Higher Education Coordinator Board (HECB) on issues dealing with students with disabilities.  She joined Clark College in 1997.

One of her nominators wrote:  “Tami has often been on the receiving end of communications from state education policy leaders as well as state higher education administration leaders seeking advice on student situations, program development and implementation and best practices regarding serving student with disabilities.” 

Another noted: “She has contributed to key discussions topics such as improving the transfer flow of students between the different systems in the state as well as generating professional development opportunities for WAPED members to grow and evolve in the field. As a colleague, I look to Tami for advice based on her level or experience, creative problem solving skills and ability to discuss the blunt realities of situations.”

Another nominator described her as “always willing to take leadership in our professional groups.  She is a leader at her campus and she is a friend to many of us.”  Another added:   “As busy as she is, Tami always has time to take a phone call from a colleague or from a new SSD (Services for Students with Disabilities) coordinator who doesn’t quite know what to do yet.  She is accessible yet efficient which isn't easy to pull off.  Tami is the colleague you go to when you want the gold standard answer…. She is thoughtful, kind and organized like no one I know, but more than that Tami epitomizes what our profession stands for.  She manages to walk that fine line between access and success with a grace and commitment that looks to the student’s future not just their immediate situation.  That is a rare quality.”

Bill Culwell, immediate past president of WAPED, noted that Jacobs received a standing ovation as she accepted the award.  Culwell said, “Tami is a trusted friend and colleague who is one of the most reliable people I have ever worked with.  Her communication and organizational skills are exemplary.”  He added, “I felt fortunate to be the one who presented the award to her.”

Jacobs thanked her colleagues across the state.  She said, “I was surprised and very honored to be recognized by my peers.  It is a privilege to work with such a knowledgeable, caring, and supportive group of people.”

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