Three faculty and staff members have been honored as Orangeburg-Calhoun Technical College’s Educators of the Year and were recognized during the South Carolina Technical Education Association annual conference Feb. 18-20 in Myrtle Beach.
Laney Cornelius, a building and grounds supervisor at OCtech, is the outstanding administrator; JoEllen “Jody” W. Ott, an Early Childhood Development instructor and program coordinator for Teacher Education University Transfer and Early Care and Education, is the outstanding faculty member; and Angie M. Fogle, a fiscal technician at the college, is the outstanding staff honoree.
SCTEA is a professional association of technical education personnel and others interested in post-secondary technical education.
Cornelius joined the OCtech staff as a trade specialist in March 2012 and promoted to his current position within eight months. He joined the college’s physical plant staff with 10 years of operations management experience.
“I take great pride in leading by example and assisting the faculty, staff and students at OCtech,” he said, often performing duties beyond his job requirements. “OCtech is such a wonderful work environment. Everyone is so friendly and personable.”
Cornelius has received numerous certificates in communication, leadership and management from Tooling University. He is an active member of the Columbia Road Church of God, enjoys hunting in his spare time and is an avid participant in the Regional Medical Center’s Blood Assurance Program, where he recently surpassed the five-gallon blood donation mark.
“I like helping people,” he said. “I treat everybody how I like to be treated.”
Cornelius and his wife, Tammy, have two daughters – Lacey, a fifth-grader at Calhoun Academy, and Danielle, an accounting student at OCtech.
“Being able to work here while my daughter is attending is a rewarding experience on its own,” he said. “I enjoy coming to work and getting my job done, but also being able to put a smile on the faces of the people I am serving.”
Ott has been at the college since 2000. Prior to joining OCtech, she served as a K-4 teacher at Guinyard Elementary School in St. Matthews, early childhood supervisor for SCETV Early Childhood National Programming, on-site manager and teacher at SCETV’s Children’s Place, and a child development teacher at Booker T. Washington Child Care at the University of South Carolina.
“I enjoy teaching at OCtech because the college serves as an avenue through which I can fulfill my life’s mission of making a positive difference in the lives of children,” she said.
Ott was a nominee for OCtech’s Educator of the Year in 2010 and 2014. She earned a Master Instructor Certificate at the college in 2003 and was awarded the Orangeburg County Community of Character Award for Cheerfulness in 2009.
Ott is a member of the South Carolina Association for the Education of Young Children and National Association for the Education of Young Children, where she has served as validator for the National Academy of Early Childhood Programs and the NAEYC Early Childhood Associate Degree Accreditation Review Team. She is also a member of the South Carolina Technical Education Association, and has previously served as the group’s secretary (2004-2005), vice-president (2008-2009) and president (2009-2010). She is co-advisor for OCtech’s Educators Rising chapter, and a member of the Faculty Council and Advisory Committee at the college.
“I am honored to serve as an instructor at an institution where all administrators, staff and faculty members are dedicated to student success,” Ott said. “Lasting impressions made on our students will, in turn, have a positive impact on the lives of many more children in the future.”
Fogle has been employed at Orangeburg-Calhoun Technical College for seven years. She served for two years in Student Services and has spent the last five years in accounting.
Fogle is also a graduate of OCtech, having received her associate’s degree in office system technology, diploma in automated office and certificate in word processing from the college. She is often the first person to greet students and visitors when they come to campus.
“The best part about working at OCtech is the students,” she said. “My journey here has allowed me to see so many different students with different backgrounds and lifestyles. I enjoy watching them grow and graduate.”
Fogle has been a member of the International Association of Administrative Professionals chapter at OCtech and has performed community service with both the Salvation Army and Samaritan House in Orangeburg. Additionally, she has worked with Orangeburg-Wilkinson High School’s Band Booster Club.
“My work in Student Services and the business office at OCtech has given me the opportunity to work with departments across campus to ensure that our students, faculty, staff and the public receive the assistance that they need,” Fogle said. “I enjoy what I do, and I appreciate that my hard work and dedication have been noticed.”
