LCC Instructor Jim Garcia honored with Dale P. Parnell Distinguished Faculty Designation

EUGENE, Ore. — Lane Community College is proud to announce that LCC Instructor Jim Garcia has been recognized with the 2023 Dale P. Parnell Distinguished Faculty designation by the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC). The prestigious accolade is named in honor of former AACC President and CEO Dale P. Parnell and recognizes individuals who make a significant impact in the classroom.  Parnell was also the founding president of Lane Community College.

The Dale P. Parnell Distinguished Faculty designation was established by AACC in 2018 to recognize the essential role that community college faculty members play in providing students with the education and support they need to succeed. Recipients for the faculty distinction recognition:

• Demonstrate passion for the students and the classroom,
• Show willingness to support students, inside and outside of the classroom,
• Be inclined to participate in college committees, and
• Go above and beyond what is required to ensure that students are successful in their academic endeavors.

Garcia’s career in education spans four decades of service to students, families and community at all levels of education.  His focus has been on service to LatinX students, many of whom are first-generation immigrants and Spanish-speaking.  He has worked in K-12 school districts, University of Oregon, Oregon State University, New Mexico State University, and Portland State University.  Currently, Jim serves as the Chicano/Latino Student Program Coordinator at Lane Community College.

In 2001, Garcia co-founded the Puertas Abiertas Leadership Academy at Lane Community College.  Puertas Abiertas is an affinity-based summer bridge program for LatinX high school students framed in a community-based bi-cultural curriculum designed to prepare these students for post-secondary academic success. Since 2001, hundreds of Lane County LatinX students have attended and successfully completed coursework in the Puertas Abiertas Academy. Jim’s teaching and program development efforts are responsible for the success of many LatinX students and their families.

At LCC, Garcia taught Chicano Studies courses and served as faculty advisor for the MECHA student organization.  He has also served as Chair of the Diversity Council and Diversity Plan; Students of Color Recruitment and Retention Committee; and the Under-represented Minorities Achievement Scholarship Committee. He has also served as chair for the Oregon Human Development Corporation (OHDC) Board of Directors, which serves the
farmworker community in Oregon and Nevada.

"Jim Garcia is a true asset to Lane Community College and to the students he serves," said Dr. Stephanie Bulger, President of Lane Community College. "His dedication to student success and his commitment to excellence in the classroom are truly inspiring. He is most deserving of this year’s “Dale P. Parnell Faculty Distinction Recognition."

AACC will officially present the faculty designations at its annual conference, to be held April 1-4 in Denver.