JCCC Professor Receives National Honor

Johnson County Community College
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11/30/07
Story by Peggy Graham

JCCC Professor Receives National Honor

Pat Jonason

OVERLAND PARK, Kan. ­– Pat Jonason, Johnson County Community College professor of reading and reading facilitator, received the 2007 Distinguished Teaching Award from the College Reading and Learning Association at the CRLA Conference, Portland, Ore., on Nov. 2.

Only one such award is given every year. This high honor recognizes a member who exemplifies teaching and learning as a lifelong journey, who provides students with a clear model of enthusiastic, knowledgeable and compassionate teaching, and who encourages students to persevere and achieve interdependence.

Jonason, Shawnee, has 38 years of experience teaching reading and English and providing learning assistance at middle schools and community colleges. She began teaching at JCCC in 1975 and served 12 years as facilitator of the Academic Achievement Center.

Jonason earned a bachelor’s degree in education from Yankton College, South Dakota, and a master’s degree in education from the University of Missouri-Kansas City. She has additional training and certification in the Monterrey Reading Program.

A member of numerous national and regional organizations in her field, Jonason has served as regional and national leader, including president of CRLA. Other memberships include the International Reading Association, National Tutor Association, National Association of Developmental Education and American Council of Developmental Education Associations.

Jonason is a frequent  presenter at national conferences. She has written articles for association newsletters and was part of a Kansas committee on developmental education that wrote and published “Open Access to the Future: Developmental Education in Kansas.”

Her awards and honors include a Special Achievement for Service, CRLA; Robert Griffin Long and Outstanding Service Award, CRLA; Kansas State Board of Education Program of Excellence Award; Midwest Regional Association for Developmental Education Outstanding Learning Assistance Award, as well as  JCCC’s prestigious Burlington Northern Faculty Achievement and Distinguished Service awards.