EUGENE, Ore. — Lane Community College students Audrey Barney of Fall Creek and Sean Baker of Eugene were named to the 2014 All Oregon Academic Team sponsored by the Oregon Community College Association. They joined other honorees at a recognition event April 22 in Salem including brunch with Oregon Secretary of State Kate Brown and Chief Education Officer Nancy Golden. OCCA advocates for community colleges and founded the annual event to honor outstanding students at each of Oregon's 17 community colleges.
"I felt so honored and celebrated," says Barney, who has maintained a 3.98 GPA as a student at Lane.
Lida Herburger, Student Success Programs Manager and Phi Theta Kappa Co-Advisor at Lane, says that student nominations for the team "are based on outstanding academic performance and service to the college and community."
Baker, who is 41, will earn associate of applied science degrees in computer network operations and electronic technology in fall 2014. He plans to transfer to the University of Oregon to continue his studies in computer and information science. Eventually, he "would like to find employment in computer networking and administration," he says. Contrary to his high school academic performance, Baker has sustained a GPA of 3.50 at Lane. "I found out that I am a decent student." Prior to attending college, Baker worked for 10 years as a broadcast technician. "Without Lane," Baker says, "I don't think I would be as successful, and I wouldn't be where I am today."
Barney says she enrolled in classes "to normalize to my children the idea of going to school" after high school. During her four years at Lane, Barney says she observed that the instructors "work closely with the students, making sure they have everything they need" to succeed academically. After earning her associate of applied science in administrative office professional and a certificate as an office software specialist in June 2014, Barney hopes to work as an administrative assistant in either the non-profit sector or higher education.
###