Page 6 - Scene Magazine January 2024 4901

Did You Know?
BY KATHY BANFIELD SHAW
Did you know you could study tropical soils as an occupation? The Vice President of Instruction at Kel- logg Community College, Tonya
Forbes, graduated from Notre Dame with a B.S. in Chemistry and worked at North Carolina State University with the graduate students who were studying soil, including tropical soil. Tonya is soon to be Dr. Tonya Forbes, “If all goes right and I get time to write,” she told me. She’s studying Community College Leadership at Ferris State University and hopes to have her doctorate in time to wear
Tonya was born in Battle Creek’s Lakeview Hospital even though her parents lived in Kalamazoo. The family moved when she was about
five to Milwaukee, Evansville, and finally Elkhart that she considers her hometown. She attended and gradu- ated from Notre Dame and after she was married moved to North Carolina, teaching at N.C. State University and Wake Tech Community College until her kids began to leave home and Tonya moved back to Battle Creek
and Kellogg Community College. “I had to make the decision whether to stay at Wake Tech in North Carolina knowing I might move up, or leave to take a job in Battle Creek at KCC,” she
me. “As Dean I was responsible for general education curriculum, compli- ance, keeping the college current with any changes in curriculum, provide direction, ensure we’re meeting the qualifications to meet the criteria for students in the Department of Arts
and Science.” When Dr. Paul Watson was named the current President of KCC, the position of Vice President
of Instruction was created and became Tonya’s newest reason for believing moving back to Michigan was the
best decision she’d ever made. “My goal was to become a chief academic officer,” Tonya explained. “I believe my job is to guide, mentor, and oversee the faculty and help them unleash their potential to assist students achieving their education goals.”
the colors of her graduate school for KCC’s next graduation.
told me. “It was a leap of faith but has turned out to be the best decision I’ve ever made. It was the scariest decision because I came all by myself but I’m better off in every possible way.”
One tool that KCC is using to
assist with their goals is assessment, which could be defined as improving learning through teaching. Normally assessment is under the individual departments but to ensure success here at KCC it was placed under a broader area. “We are asking the students what they’ve learned and not just asking them to evaluate their instructors or courses,” she stated. “That assessment is designed to help us learn what the students need to meet their educational goals.”
Tonya Forbes
Tonya has four children Tommy, Lauren, Amelia, and Emily, five grand children, with a sixth due in January. Her partner John has two children so keeping up with all those kids, grand children, and finishing her doctorate keeps her busy when she’s not on campus.
Her first position at KCC was Dean of Arts & Science. “I loved my stu- dents and having an impact with them, but I wanted to have a broader impact and I believe I can do that by being
a chief academic officer,” Tonya told
Replacing evaluations and requiring faculty to assess what their students are learning was a change for the faculty. The current administration demonstrated the need for the change and involved the faculty in the way that change would occur. This created the situation that many of the faculty voluntarily made those changes. “The feedback from our faculty is positive,” Tonya said. “Nothing in higher educa- tion is done quickly,” she told me. “It takes time and trust for a change like this to happen... but it is happening here at KCC.”
T. R. Shaw Jr. 269-209-5555
Kathy Shaw 269-209-9719 www.shawcommunication.com
T. R. Shaw Jr. Co-Founder / TRSBCMI@gmail.com Kathy Shaw Co-Founder / President / KSBANFSH@gmail.com
Tonya took her holiday break to get back to writing for her doctorate. “I’m committed to a deadline to complete it... it’s in my contract!”
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