Three Seminole State College employees were honored at the 59th annual Oklahoma Association of Community Colleges Conference on Oct. 2 at Tulsa Community College’s Northeast Campus. During the event, History Professor and Student Success Coordinator Dr. Steve Bolin was named SSC Faculty Member of the Year; Human Resources Specialist Erin Medley was named Professional Staff Member of the Year; and Custodian Carmen Wright was named Support Staff Member of the Year.

Bolin has worked at SSC since August 2006. He teaches American History since 1877, Early Western Civilization to 1660, Modern Western Civilization since 1660 and Learning Strategies. As Student Success Coordinator, he chairs the Student Success Committee, which works to improve student retention and graduation. He also manages SSC’s Learning Strategies courses and curriculum and oversees the College’s Core Alert system.

Bolin earned his doctorate in history from Oklahoma State University. He and his wife, Shelly, have been married for 37 years and have two daughters, Isabelle and Abigail, two sons-in-law, Samuel and David, and two grandchildren, Noah and Evelyn. Bolin resides in Oklahoma City and is a member of Berean Bible Church in Del City. Outside of work, he enjoys carpentry, reading, research and spending time with his family.

Medley has served as SSC’s Human Resources Specialist for three and a half years. In her generalist role, she assists with the full lifecycle of College employees, including recruitment, interviewing, onboarding, benefits, training, compliance, retirement, employee relations, workers’ compensation and unemployment.

Medley holds an Associate of Arts in Journalism and a Bachelor of Science in Psychology. She is a member of the College and University Professional Association for Human Resources and recently founded Purple Oak Consulting, LLC, an HR consulting business that provides human resources support to small businesses. She resides in Seminole and has two children, Camryn, a senior at Tecumseh High School, and Jaxson, a seventh grader at Tecumseh Middle School. In her free time, Medley enjoys attending concerts and supporting her children in their extracurricular activities.

Wright has been a member of the SSC staff for 11 years and is an integral part of the College’s campus operations team. As a custodian, she helps maintain a clean and welcoming environment for students, faculty and staff. Her responsibilities range from cleaning restrooms and shampooing carpets to taking out trash and mopping floors. Wright is also known for assisting students as they navigate campus, often providing directions to departments such as Admissions and Financial Aid.

Wright attended both Seminole State College and East Central University. She and her husband, Reggie, have been married for 33 years and reside in Seminole. They have two children, Stefan and Simone, and two granddaughters, Arabella and Dru.

In addition to the honorees, three SSC employees presented during the statewide conference. Director of Community Relations Kim Pringle led a session focused on developing a strong professional network. GEAR UP Coordinator Kate Sprague discussed strategies for connecting community colleges with rural schools early in a student’s educational journey.

Director of Board Relations and Administrative Operations Mechell Downey led a roundtable discussion for executive assistants. The session addressed strategies for effectively supporting college presidents and vice presidents and managing competing priorities.