A Wave of Gratitude to Romina Plozza for Inclusive Excellence and Student Engagement.

I’d like to recognize Romina Plozza for being the next person to certify a course through The Online & Hybrid Course Quality Institute. Romina not only met all the required standards but also went above and beyond by meeting many of the optional standards as well—putting an exceptional level of thought and care into the course design.

This College 90 course will serve many new students as they begin their journey at Shoreline. It’s built on proven pedagogical practices that prioritize inclusion, equity, and accessibility.

Thank you, Romina, for your dedication to creating a high-quality, student-centered learning experience and for all the hard work that went into this achievement!

I serve as the facilitator for The Online & Hybrid Course Quality Institute, where I support faculty in aligning their courses with quality standards focused on equity, inclusion, accessibility, and student success. Submitted by Brandon Fryman

As a reminder, for those wishing to acknowledge the work of fellow shoreline staff members or a group at Shoreline, you need only submit a Waves of Gratitude form for individuals or a Shoreline Shoutout for groups.

Asako is incredible. Towards the end of the year, she helped figure out creative ways to leverage Opportunity Grant and other Workforce Funding to help spend down our grants. She is incredibly positive, efficient and willing to help the Workforce team. She has been instrumental to workforce in planning for the move to the 1400 building. She has gone as far as to measure desk spaces and design the new front desk area. From Jenna Schlein, the Opportunity Grant Specialist in Workforce Education.

As a reminder, for those wishing to acknowledge the work of fellow shoreline staff members or a group at Shoreline, you need only submit a Waves of Gratitude form for individuals or a Shoreline Shoutout for groups.

A Wave of Gratitude to Ciaran Peckham with Student Accessibility Services for Inclusive Excellence, Respect, and Community Engagement.

Ciaran works in SAS and received a call from a Spanish speaking member of our community about summer camps at Shoreline. Even though this question could have been directed elsewhere on campus, Ciaran went over and beyond to assist the caller. They used the Student Supporters Network Teams chat to find a person fluent in Spanish who could help (shoutout to Ariadna Escobar in Workforce!) and proceeded to engage in a 3-way conversation to assist the caller. It was an amazing exchange and a wonderful example of the excellent customer service provided by Shoreline staff. Ciaran and Ariadna both did an amazing job assisting this member of our community.

Submitted by Rosemary Whiteside, Veterans Programs.

As a reminder, for those wishing to acknowledge the work of fellow shoreline staff members or a group at Shoreline, you need only submit a Waves of Gratitude form for individuals or a Shoreline Shoutout for groups.  Thank you from the Employee Recognition Committee.

A Wave of Gratitude to Brandon Fryman for Inclusive Excellence, Community Engagement and Training.

I want to recognize Brandon Fryman for his incredible presentation at the Day of Learning. His talk on Native Americans in our region was powerful, thought-provoking, and deeply humanizing. He didn’t just talk about the past—he helped us understand where Native communities are today. Brandon highlighted that Native people in Washington are artists, politicians, business owners, and nonprofit leaders. They are shaping the future while carrying forward the strength and resilience of their ancestors.

Brandon also shared the important work he’s doing in the community—supporting Native students, working with nonprofits and tribal leaders, and collaborating with different departments on campus to build stronger support systems. His presentation helped me realize how much I still have to learn, and it inspired me to do better in my own role. The activities he led helped me connect more deeply and made me reflect on how I can more thoughtfully serve Native students and colleagues. Now if you walk in the FOSS building, you see all the maps of the tribes within our state. This will have a long-lasting impact on what I do here on campus.

Thank you, Brandon, for your leadership, your heart, and your dedication to this work. I hope we get to hear more from you in the future. – Submitting person wishes to remain anonymous

As a reminder, for those wishing to acknowledge the work of fellow shoreline staff members or a group at Shoreline, you need only submit a Waves of Gratitude form for individuals or a Shoreline Shoutout for groups.

A Wave of Gratitude to Melanie Meyer of Health Information Technology for Inclusive Excellence.

Let’s take a moment to celebrate Melanie Meyer from the Health Informatics & Information Management (HIIM) department for achieving another incredible milestone.

Melanie has recently certified another course—HIIM 219: Health Care Statistics! The HIIM department leads the way with the most certified courses, and Melanie continues to ensure that every course in the department meets the highest standards. Certification requires meeting 119 rigorous standards from the Washington Quality Course Design Checklist, demonstrating a commitment to high-quality, student-centered learning.

Faculty can also get their courses certified by attending the 4-week Online and Hybrid Quality Course Design Institute, where we focus on inclusion, equity, accessibility, and effective course design. Certification isn’t just for a single course—faculty can continue certifying multiple courses over time, just like Melanie has done.

Certified courses at Shoreline that meet these 119 standards are also recognized and certified by the state. Faculty who achieve certification will receive official digital badges from the state, recognizing their dedication to high-quality course design.

I am an Instructional Designer dedicated to enhancing online and hybrid education by ensuring faculty have the tools and knowledge to create high-quality, student-centered courses. I designed and facilitate the Online and Hybrid Quality Course Design Institute, a 4-week professional development program that helps faculty align their courses with 119 rigorous standards from the Washington Quality Course Design Checklist.

Beyond course design, I have worked closely with state-level organizations to ensure that faculty and their certified courses receive official recognition and certification. Through this collaboration, faculty who meet certification standards not only enhance their courses for student success but also receive state-recognized digital badges honoring their commitment to excellence in teaching. – Brandon Fryman, eLearning.

As a reminder, for those wishing to acknowledge the work of fellow shoreline staff members or a group at Shoreline, you need only submit a Waves of Gratitude form for individuals or a Shoreline Shoutout for groups.