For immediate release - May 10, 2007
Newsbriefs

 (DALLAS) — Dr. Wright Lassiter Jr., chancellor of the Dallas County Community College District, is the recipient of the Dallas Oak Cliff Lions Club 2006-2007 Annual Humanitarian Award. Lassiter, who will be honored during the club’s weekly noon meeting on Wednesday, May 16, joins a distinguished list of 28 awardees, including H. Ross Perot, Buddy Minyard, Roger Staubach, Tom Landry, Ebby Halliday, Ray Nasher, Lamar Hunt, Ben Lipshy, Dr. J.L. LaManna, Robert Folsom, Nancy Brinker and Ruth Altshuler. The program will be held in Weiss Auditorium at the Dallas Methodist Medical Center.

“Dr. Wright Lassiter’s activities, contributions and service best symbolize the ideals of Lionism,” said Rich Buickerood, Oak Cliff Lions Club president. “His outstanding dedication to community, profession, God and mankind exemplifies the Lions’ motto: ‘We serve.’”

Lassiter became DCCCD chancellor in May 2006 after serving as president of El Centro College for 20 years. Prior to that time, he served as president of Bishop College (Dallas); president of Schenectady County Community College (N.Y.); vice president for finance and administration at Morgan State University (Baltimore); and director of auxiliary enterprises/business manager at Tuskegee University — then Tuskegee Institute (Tuskegee, Ala.). He holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Alcorn State University (Miss.); a master’s degree in business administration from Indiana University; and his doctorate in education from Auburn University (Ala.).

 (DALLAS) — Dr. Steve Mittelstet, president of Richland College — part of the Dallas County Community College District — recently received the Terry O’Banion “Innovations” Award during the spring conference of the League for Innovation in the Community College. The award is given annually to an individual who has influenced a transformation in teaching and learning or to a college that best exemplifies the ideals and characteristics of a learning college as established by the League and O’Banion, who is president emeritus of the organization and Senior League Fellow. The honor was sponsored by the Educational Testing Service. The League for Innovation is the only major international organization specifically committed to improving community colleges through innovation, experimentation and institutional transformation.

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Press contact: Ann Hatch, 214-860-2478